emaciation n : extreme leanness (usually caused by starvation or disease) [syn: bonyness, gauntness, maceration]

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪʃǝn

Noun

1. The act of making very lean.
2. The state of being emaciated or reduced to excessive leanness; an excessively lean condition.

Emaciation ( or ɨˌmeɪsiːˈeɪʃən) occurs when a human loses substantial amounts of much needed fat and often muscle tissue, making that human look extremely thin. The cause of emaciation is a lack of nutrients from starvation or disease. Many women (and some men) have targeted the emaciation look, and such is the result of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Many people are chosen to be fashion models because of this tremendously skinny look. The shape of the bones in a severely-emaciated person is distinguishable, the shoulder blades are prominently sharp, and the ribs and spine can be clearly seen, while the arms and legs are not significantly wider than the bones that support them. Death may occur.

See also

• Starvation