Wasting away or deterioration of the stomach tissue, usually caused by chronic disease or malnutrition.
From Greek 'gastro-' (stomach) and 'atrophia' (wasting), from 'a-' (without) and 'trophē' (nourishment). This medical term developed in the 19th century to describe stomach tissue degeneration.
The same root 'troph-' appears in 'atrophy,' 'trophy,' and even 'dystrophy'—it all comes from the Greek word for food and nourishment, showing how language connects ideas about growth and decay.
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