7 Aches

You probably know the word "ache". It can be a verb or a noun, and means "to hurt" or "a pain".

We sometimes combine the word "ache" with parts of the body. For example, if our back hurts, we say that we have "backache" or "a backache".

We don't do this with all parts of the body. For example, we cannot say that we have a "handache".

There are really only five parts of the body that we combine with "ache". They are shown below, plus two other words that we use in a slightly different way.

• backache
• earache
• headache
• stomachache
• toothache
  
  
• heartache
  We don't use this to mean a physical pain in the heart. Instead, it means an emotional pain.
• faceache
  This means an ugly or miserable-looking person (BrE).

Contributor: Josef Essberger