colic

American  

[kol-ik] / ˈkɒl ɪk /

noun

1. Also called infantile colic.  Also called infant colic.  Pathology. a common, temporary condition in which a baby who is otherwise healthy cries repeatedly, excessively, and inconsolably, without apparent cause.

   To help create more awareness about colic, the doctors are writing a book for parents with fussy babies.

2. Pathology, Veterinary Pathology. paroxysmal pain in the abdomen or bowels.

   If a gallstone blocks one of the bile ducts, it can cause sudden, severe abdominal pain, known as biliary colic.

---

adjective

Anatomy.

1. relating to or affecting the colon or the bowels.

   Colorectal cancer surgeons must have a good understanding of how colic arteries can differ among people.

colic British  

/ ˈkɒlɪk /

noun

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

---

colic Scientific  

/ kŏl′ĭk /

1. Severe abdominal pain, often caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of any of the hollow viscera, such as the intestines.

2. A condition seen in infants less than three months old, marked by periods of inconsolable crying lasting for hours at a time for at least three weeks. The cause is unknown.

---

Other Word Forms

• colicky adjective

Etymology

Origin of colic

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English colike, from Middle French colique, Latin colica (passiō) “colonic (suffering),” from Greek kolikós “of the colon,” from kól(on) colon ² + -ikos -ic; colonic ( def. )

Example Sentences

Children of mothers with untreated depression had a higher risk of developing digestive conditions, including nausea and vomiting, functional constipation, colic, and irritable bowel syndrome.

From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026

Yuko Miyahara, a representative for Urara’s longtime care facility Matha Farm in the southeast Chiba prefecture of Japan, confirmed to Japanese outlet Friday Digital that the animal athlete died early Tuesday of colic.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2025

The neighbor who tries to one-up your saga of seizures with a story about her son’s colic.

From Slate • Jan. 28, 2024

Horses that can’t stand are at increased risk for complications such as pressure sores, colic and pneumonia.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 1, 2023

The long summer-time always gave Bubber the colic.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers