thirst-sick

adjective · 16th century

It captures that precise, miserable moment when your body forgets how to function without moisture.

Afflicted by an intense, debilitating craving for water to the point of physical illness.

In the wild

“The travelers wandered the dunes until they were truly thirst-sick and unable to continue.”

Origin

A compound documented in 16th-century texts, explicitly linking the physical suffering of thirst to sickness.