Which medical term means vomiting?

The medical term for vomiting is emesis. It refers to the forceful expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth, and sometimes the nose. The word is used in clinical medicine, nursing, pharmacology, and hospital documentation, where it is more precise and formal than everyday terms such as throwing up or being sick.

Emesis is different from nausea. Nausea is the unpleasant sensation that makes someone feel they may vomit; it can occur without vomiting, while emesis is the act itself. Regurgitation is another commonly confused term: it usually describes the effortless return of food or liquid into the mouth, rather than the forceful reflex involved in vomiting.

The vomiting reflex is coordinated by the brainstem and can be triggered by stomach irritation, infections, medications, motion, toxins, pregnancy, or other medical conditions. Clinicians may describe the episode more specifically, such as projectile emesis, bilious emesis, or hematemesis when blood is present. The related word emetic describes something that induces vomiting, while antiemetic medicines are used to prevent or treat it.