Skip to Content
Medical Term:


Pronunciation: rū′mi-nā′shŭn


  1. The physiologic process in ruminant animals in which coarse, hastily eaten food is regurgitated from the rumen, thoroughly rechewed, reduced to finer particles, mixed with saliva, and reswallowed.
  2. A disorder of infancy characterized by repeated regurgitation of food, with weight loss or failure to thrive, developing after a period of normal functioning.
  3. Periodic reconsideration of the same subject.

[L. ruminatio, fr. rumino, to chew the cud, think over, fr. rumen, throat]