bezoar: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/Rare/SpecialistMedical/Scientific/Historical
Quick answer
What does “bezoar” mean?
A hard mass of compacted, indigestible material found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and sometimes humans.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A hard mass of compacted, indigestible material found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and sometimes humans.
Historically, such masses (especially from wild goats) were believed to have magical or medicinal properties as antidotes to poison.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. The historical sense may appear slightly more often in British texts due to colonial and historical collecting contexts.
Connotations
Medical term with strong historical/literary associations (e.g., Harry Potter). Neutral in technical use.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Higher in veterinary medicine, gastroenterology, and historical texts.
Grammar
How to Use “bezoar” in a Sentence
A bezoar forms/develops in [organ].Surgeons removed/extracted the bezoar.The patient presented with a bezoar.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bezoar” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – not a verb.
American English
- N/A – not a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A – not an adverb.
American English
- N/A – not an adverb.
adjective
British English
- N/A – rare adjectival use 'bezoar-related'. The patient had bezoar obstruction.
American English
- N/A – rare adjectival use 'bezoar-related'. The bezoar mass was large.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in medical/veterinary journals, historical pharmacology.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be encountered in historical fiction or pop culture (e.g., Harry Potter).
Technical
Standard term in gastroenterology, veterinary surgery, and medical imaging.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bezoar”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bezoar”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bezoar”
- Mispronouncing as 'bee-zor' or 'beh-zoh-ar'.
- Using it as a general term for any stomach problem.
- Misspelling as 'beazor' or 'bezoir'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A gallstone forms from bile constituents in the gallbladder/bile ducts. A bezoar forms in the stomach/intestines from ingested, undigested material.
Yes. Human bezoars are often associated with certain eating disorders (trichotillomania leading to trichobezoars), high-fibre diets, or gastrointestinal surgery.
In the stories, a bezoar is a stone from a goat's stomach used as a powerful antidote in potion-making, reflecting its historical medicinal myth.
Treatment depends on size/composition. Options include enzymatic dissolution, endoscopic fragmentation/removal, or surgical removal.
A hard mass of compacted, indigestible material found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and sometimes humans.
Bezoar is usually medical/scientific/historical in register.
Bezoar: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbiː.zɔːr/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbiː.zɔːr/ or /bəˈzɔːr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. Too technical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BEASTly hard ball of ZOAR (like 'tar') in its gut – a BE-ZOAR.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY AS A COLLECTOR/ACCUMULATOR (of undigested matter).
Practice
Quiz
In a historical context, a bezoar was primarily valued as: