headache

[ hed-eyk ]

noun

1. a pain located in the head, as over the eyes, at the temples, or at the base of the skull.
2. an annoying or bothersome person, situation, activity, etc.

headache

/ ˈhɛdˌeɪk /

noun

1. pain in the head, caused by dilation of cerebral arteries, muscle contraction, insufficient oxygen in the cerebral blood, reaction to drugs, etc Technical namecephalalgia
2. informal.
   any cause of worry, difficulty, or annoyance

headache

/ hĕd′āk′ /

1. Pain in the head, caused by stimulation of or pressure to any of various structures of the head, such as tissue covering the cranium, cranial nerves, or blood vessels. Headache can be a primary disorder, as in migraine or cluster headaches , or a common symptom associated with head injury or many illnesses such as acute infection, brain tumor or abscess, eye disorders such as glaucoma, dental disease, and hypertension.
2. See also cluster headache

Word History and Origins

Origin of headache¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hēafodece. See head, ache

Example Sentences

This can cause a major headache down the line.

From Salon

“I told his dad he had a horrible headache,” Cronin said.

From Los Angeles Times

Herding the singers was a massive headache, as the recent Netflix documentary The Greatest Night In Pop revealed.

From BBC

Raja Jehangir Anwar, a senior environment official, said the "biggest headache" causing the smog was the practice of burning crop waste, known as stubble, across the Indian border.

From BBC

My headache had returned with a vengeance.

From Slate

Related Words

• dilemma
• hassle
• inconvenience
• trouble
• worry