erethism

[ er-uh-thiz-uh m ]

/ ˈɛr əˌθɪz əm /

noun Physiology.

an unusual or excessive degree of irritability or stimulation in an organ or tissue.

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Origin of erethism

1790–1800; < French éréthisme < Greek erethismós irritation, equivalent to ereth(ízein) to irritate + -ismos -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM erethism

er·e·this·mic, er·e·this·tic

[er-uh-this-tik] /ˌɛr əˈθɪs tɪk/, er·e·thit·ic

[er-uh-thit-ik] /ˌɛr əˈθɪt ɪk/, e·reth·ic

[uh-reth-ik, e-reth-] /əˈrɛθ ɪk, ɛˈrɛθ-/, adjectivehy·per·er·e·thism, noun

Words nearby erethism

eremurus, erenburg, erenow, erepsin, ereshkigal, erethism, eretria, eretz israel, eretz yisrael, erev, erevan

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for erethism

Normally, there appears to be no erethism of the sexual organs during the process of love-making.
A Preliminary Study of the Emotion of Love between the Sexes|Sanford Bell
Erethism, er′e-thizm, n. excitement or stimulation of any organ.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M)|Various
At the same time they consider that, while erethism is less, sexuality is greater than in men.
Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 3 (of 6)|Havelock Ellis
If this flow is continued, without proper periods of repose, a state of erethism and insomnia is produced.
Sleep and Its Derangements|William A. Hammond

The intense excitement of the events had no doubt left my perceptive powers in a state of erethism.
The War of the Worlds|H. G. Wells

British Dictionary definitions for erethism

erethism

/ (ˈɛrɪˌθɪzəm) /

noun

physiol an abnormally high degree of irritability or sensitivity in any part of the body

psychiatry

a personality disorder resulting from mercury poisoning
an abnormal tendency to become aroused quickly, esp sexually, as the result of a verbal or psychic stimulus

Derived forms of erethism

erethismic, erethistic or erethitic, adjective

Word Origin for erethism

C18: from French éréthisme, from Greek erethismos irritation, from erethizein to excite, irritate

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for erethism

erethism

[ ĕr′ə-thĭz′əm ]

n.

Abnormal irritability or sensitivity of an organ or body part to stimulation.