Aerophagist

/ˌɛərəˈfædʒɪst/ noun

Definition

A person who swallows air, either habitually due to a nervous condition or as a performer in a sideshow act.

Etymology

From aerophagia + -ist (one who practices). The term could refer to either a medical patient or, historically, carnival performers who demonstrated the act.

Kelly Says

In old sideshows, aerophagists were human curiosities who could inflate their cheeks and stomachs with swallowed air—a disturbing trick that's actually a symptom of anxiety in most people.

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