Meanings
plural colics · alternative archaic cholick · alternative archaic cholic
- countableuncountablemedicineSevere pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel-related problems).
Near-synonyms: cramps, stomachache
1 more example
Diſeaſed nature oftentimes breakes forth, / In ſtrange eruptions, oft the teeming earth / Is with a kind of collicke pincht and vext, / By the impriſoning of vnruly wind / Within her vvombe, vvhich for enlargement ſtriuing / Shakes the old Beldame earth, and topples down / Steeples and moſſegrovvn towers.
c. 1597 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The History of Henrie the Fourth; […], quarto edition, London: […] P[eter] S[hort] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1598, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]Synonyms: colonalgia, cramps, stomachache
- countableuncountableA medicinal plant used to relieve such symptoms.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSevere pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel-related problems).
More synonyms by meaning
nounacute abdominal pain (especially in infants)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekκωλικός“suffering in the colon”
- Frenchcolique
- Englishcolic
Borrowed from French colique. Ultimately derived from Ancient Greek κωλικός (kōlikós, “suffering in the colon”, adjective).
More words from French, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek στρόφος
- στρόφος (stróphos)abdominal pain
Arabic مَغْص, قُولَنْج
- مَغْص (maḡṣ)abdominal pain
- قُولَنْج (qūlanj)abdominal pain
- قَوْلِنْج (qawlinj)abdominal pain
Bulgarian ко́лика, ко́лики
- ко́лика (kólika)abdominal pain
- ко́лики (kóliki)abdominal pain
Catalan còlic
- còlicabdominal pain
Czech kolika
- kolikaabdominal pain
Dutch koliek
- koliekabdominal pain
Finnish koliikki, paksusuoli-
- koliikkiabdominal pain
- paksusuoli-relating to the colon
- paksusuolenrelating to the colon
French colique, colique
- coliqueabdominal pain
- coliquerelating to the colon
German Kolik
- Kolikabdominal pain
Icelandic kveisa, magakveisa
- kveisaabdominal pain
- magakveisaabdominal pain
Indonesian kolik
- kolikabdominal pain
Irish aileacó, coiliceam
- aileacóabdominal pain
- coiliceamabdominal pain
- treighidabdominal pain
Italian colica
- colicaabdominal pain
Japanese 疝気
- 疝気 (senki)abdominal pain
Latin tormina
- torminaabdominal pain
Māori haku, kōngarangara
- hakuabdominal pain
- kōngarangaraabdominal pain
- kōrangarangaabdominal pain
- pohopiriabdominal pain
Persian کولنج, قولنج
- کولنج (kolenj)abdominal pain
- قولنج (qolenj)abdominal pain
Polish kolka
- kolkaabdominal pain
Portuguese cólica, cólico
- cólicaabdominal pain
- cólicorelating to the colon
Russian ко́лика, ко́лики
- ко́лика (kólika)abdominal pain
- ко́лики (kóliki)abdominal pain
- резь (rezʹ)abdominal pain
Spanish cólico
- cólicoabdominal pain
Swedish kolik
- kolikabdominal pain
Tagalog apad
- apadabdominal pain
Tamil வயிற்றுவலி
- வயிற்றுவலி (vayiṟṟuvali)abdominal pain
Turkish kolik
- kolikabdominal pain
Ukrainian ко́лька, ко́ліка
- ко́лька (kólʹka)abdominal pain
- ко́ліка (kólika)abdominal pain
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with colic
Cite this entry
colic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/colic
“colic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/colic. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “colic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/colic.
Source: colic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.