colic

UK: /ˈkɒlɪk/ US: /ˈkɑlɪk/ ,(kol′ik)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

col•ic /ˈkɑlɪk/   n. [uncountable]

1. Pathology, Veterinary Diseases sharp, sudden pain in the abdomen or bowels.
2. Pathology a condition in infants characterized by colic:
   That baby must have colic; she's been screaming for hours.

col•ick•y, adj.: She was a colicky baby. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

col•ic  (kol′ik), [Pathol., Vet. Pathol.]
n. 

1. Pathology, Veterinary Diseases paroxysmal pain in the abdomen or bowels.

adj. 

2. Pathology, Veterinary Diseases pertaining to or affecting the colon or the bowels.

• Greek kolikós, equivalent. to kól(on) colon² + -ikos -ic
• Latin colica (passiō) (suffering) of the colon
• Middle French colique)
• late Middle English colike (1400–50

col′ick•y, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

colic / ˈkɒlɪk/ noun

1. a condition characterized by acute spasmodic abdominal pain, esp that caused by inflammation, distention, etc, of the gastrointestinal tract

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French colique, from Late Latin cōlicus ill with colic, from Greek kōlon, variant of kolon colon²