If you have singultus, what do you suffer from?

A hiccup ( also spelled hiccough) is an involuntary contraction (myoclonic jerk) of the diaphragm that may repeat several times per minute. In medicine, it is known as synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (SDF), or singultus, Latin for the act of catching one's breath while sobbing. The hiccup is an involuntary action involving a reflex arc. Once triggered, the reflex causes a strong contraction of the diaphragm followed about 0.25 second later by closure of the vocal cords, which results in the classic "hic" sound.

The word hiccup itself was created through imitation. The alternate spelling of hiccough results from the incorrect assumption that it originates from the word cough.

In Slavic, Baltic, and Hungarian folklore, it is said that hiccups occur when the person experiencing them is being talked about by someone not present. In Indian, Nepalese, and Arabic folklore, they are similarly said to occur when the person experiencing them is being thought of by somebody close.