Final answer:
The best term to describe the state of wanting dessert after a large meal is 'appetite,' which refers to the desire for food and can persist even after achieving satiety, the sensation of fullness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that best describes the state of wanting to eat more, such as a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert after a large Thanksgiving meal, when one is already full is appetite. Appetite is the desire to eat food sometimes due to the sensory expectations of food and not necessarily because of hunger. In the context of consuming a large meal, one's appetite for something sweet like a slice of pumpkin pie can still be present despite the physiological sensation of satiety, which is the feeling of fullness and satisfaction that typically ends the act of eating.
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by attempts to compensate for the excessive amount of food that was consumed, such as using laxatives or self-induced vomiting. It is separate from the feeling of appetite after a meal, as it is an eating disorder that requires medical diagnosis and intervention.