nausea
UK: ˈnɔːziə | US: ˈnɔːziə
n. a feeling of sickness with an inclination to vomit
n. intense disgust or revulsion
The word "nausea" traces back to Greek nausía (ναυσία), derived from naûs (ναῦς), meaning "ship" or "sea." Originally, it referred to seasickness—a condition caused by the motion of a ship. Over time, the meaning broadened to include any feeling of sickness or disgust, even unrelated to the sea. The Latin nausea preserved this dual sense, which passed into English via Old French. The morpheme naus still echoes its maritime roots, while -ea serves as a noun-forming suffix.
The rocking boat gave her a sudden wave of nausea.
He felt nausea after eating the spoiled food.
The graphic scene filled her with nausea.
Nausea is a common side effect of chemotherapy.
The smell of rotten eggs triggered his nausea.