wannarexic

English

Etymology

Blend of wannabe +‎ anorexic

Noun

wannarexic (plural wannarexics)

1. (derogatory, slang) One who does not have the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, but wishes to.
   • 2007 August 4, Valerie Bauman, “'Wannarexic' girls yearn for eating disorders”, in AP/USA Today‎^[1]:

     While some experts say these girls likely have body image issues or could develop a more serious eating disorder, wannarexics usually range between healthy and overweight.

   • 2007 September 8, Deborah Cohen, “Worrying world of eating disorder wannabes”, in BMJ, volume 335, number 7618, →ISSN, →JSTOR, page 516:

     Wannarexics draw anger and derision from people with anorexia and bulimia.

   • 2013 November 14, Kelsey Osgood, How to Disappear Completely: On Modern Anorexia, New York: Overlook Press, →ISBN, →OL:

     When one trolls it becomes clear that wannarexics are a much-maligned population, and that many people, most notably diagnosed anorexics but others, too, characterize them as wholly superficial, flippant, vapid, and clearly more interested in having the reputation of being anorexic than in legitimately acquiring the disorder.

See also

• pro-ana
• pro-mia