What does satiety mean?
Satiety is the condition of feeling completely satisfied, especially after eating. It describes both the physical fullness that follows a meal and the accompanying reduction in appetite. The word is more formal and technical than everyday language such as 'being full,' and it is often used in discussions of nutrition, eating behavior, and the body's signals about hunger and fullness. Satiety can also describe a broader sense of having one's needs met: a person may experience emotional or intellectual satiety after being deprived of something for a long time. Although satisfaction is often used nearby, satiety places greater emphasis on fullness and the end of a need. The term is useful because it captures a precise threshold between continued want and complete contentment, while also describing the physical state in which one no longer needs more food.
nounThe state of being fully satisfied, especially after eating; a feeling of having had enough. It can also refer to the condition of being satiated or filled to capacity.
- The state of being full or having eaten enough.
- The feeling of complete satisfaction or having one's needs met.
- The condition of being filled to capacity or no longer receptive.
"After a modest meal, she felt a calm sense of satiety and declined a second helping."
"The rich dessert brought the meal to a satisfying note of satiety."
"Her sense of emotional satiety returned after a quiet evening away from crowded places."
Satiety is the body's quiet signal that enough is enough—a sensation with its own vocabulary and even its own hormonal messengers.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does satiety come from?
Satiety entered English in the late Middle English period from Latin satietas, meaning 'fullness' or 'having enough.' The Latin word was related to satis, 'enough,' and to the family of verbs meaning to satisfy or fill. Its English relatives include satiate, satisfy, satisfying, and satisfactory, all of which share the same underlying idea of sufficiency or fullness.
Related word forms
How satiety is actually used
The word is more formal than ordinary expressions such as 'being full' or 'having had enough.' In nutrition and physiology, it refers specifically to the state that follows eating and reduces the desire for further food.
Easily confused with satiety
Satiety specifically denotes fullness or the state of having had enough, whereas satisfaction can refer more broadly to the fulfillment of a need or desire.