Definition

Noun: * An autoimmune disorder affecting both children and adults, characterized by a permanent intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Ingestion of gluten triggers an immune response that damages the lining of the small intestine, leading to malabsorption of nutrients. Common symptoms include chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss, and fatigue.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • After years of unexplained illness, she was finally diagnosed with celiac disease.
  • The only effective treatment for celiac disease is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet.
  • Symptoms of celiac disease can vary widely from person to person.

Advanced Usage

• "to have celiac disease": to be diagnosed with or suffer from the condition.
  • He has had celiac disease since childhood and is very careful about reading food labels.
• "diagnosis of celiac disease": the formal identification of the disorder.
  • The diagnosis of celiac disease is confirmed through blood tests and a biopsy of the small intestine.

Variants and Related Words

• Celiac (adjective): Pertaining to or affected by celiac disease. Also refers to the abdomen.
  • A celiac patient must avoid all sources of gluten.
• Gluten intolerance (noun phrase): A broader term that may include non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which involves similar symptoms without the autoimmune intestinal damage.
• Gluten-sensitive enteropathy (noun phrase): A medical synonym for celiac disease.

Synonyms

• Gluten-sensitive enteropathy (medical term)
• Celiac sprue (medical term)
• Nontropical sprue (medical term)

Related Phrases

• Gluten-free diet (noun phrase): The essential dietary regimen for managing celiac disease.
  • Adhering to a strict gluten-free diet is crucial for managing celiac disease.
• Celiac disease screening (noun phrase): The process of testing individuals, often family members of a patient, for the condition.
  • Doctors recommend celiac disease screening for first-degree relatives of diagnosed patients.

Noun

1. a disorder in children and adults; inability to tolerate wheat protein (gluten); symptoms include foul-smelling diarrhea and emaciation; often accompanied by lactose intolerance