What does epigastrium mean?
The epigastrium is the anatomical name for the upper and middle portion of the abdomen — the region that lies just below the ribcage, between the two costal margins, and above the navel. In human anatomy it overlies the stomach, which is why discomfort such as indigestion, heartburn, or ulcer pain is so often described as being felt in the epigastrium. The word derives from Greek roots meaning roughly 'upon the belly', entered medical Latin, and has been used in English since at least the seventeenth century. It belongs almost entirely to formal and clinical registers: physicians record tenderness, masses, or pulsations in the epigastrium during physical examinations, and related terms divide the abdomen into named regions for diagnostic precision. Its adjective form, 'epigastric', appears commonly in phrases like 'epigastric pain' or 'epigastric hernia'. For general readers, it corresponds to what is colloquially called the pit of the stomach.
nounThe upper and middle region of the abdomen, lying between the costal margins and above the umbilicus; in humans it is the part of the abdominal wall overlying the stomach.
- The anatomical region of the upper central abdomen, between the costal margins and above the umbilicus.
"The patient reported a burning pain localized to the epigastrium after meals."
"On examination, she had marked tenderness over the epigastrium."
"A dull ache settled in his epigastrium and radiated toward the back."
The Latin-style plural 'epigastria' follows the standard neuter second-declension pattern; it appears mainly in comparative anatomy, where multiple species or specimens are discussed. In ordinary clinical writing the singular is nearly always used.
"Comparative studies examined the epigastria of several mammalian species."
Doctors call the spot where you feel 'butterflies' or heartburn the epigastrium — literally the place 'upon the belly'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of epigastrium
Epigastrium comes from the Greek prefix epi- ('upon' or 'over') combined with gaster ('belly' or 'stomach'), so it literally denotes the area upon the stomach. The term was adopted into New Latin as part of the standardized anatomical vocabulary built on Greek roots, and from there passed into English medical usage by the early modern period. It shares its root with a wide family of words including gastric, gastritis, and gastronomy, all ultimately traceable to the same Greek noun for the belly.
Related word forms
How epigastrium is actually used
A technical term used chiefly in medicine, anatomy, and clinical examination; in everyday speech people would simply say 'the pit of the stomach' or 'upper abdomen'. The adjective form 'epigastric' is more frequently encountered in clinical writing than the noun itself.
Easily confused with epigastrium
The hypogastrium is the lower part of the abdomen below the navel, whereas the epigastrium lies above the navel between the ribs.