formication

American  

[fawr-mi-key-shuhn] / ˌfɔr mɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a tactile hallucination involving the belief that something is crawling on the body or under the skin.

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formication British  

/ ˌfɔːmɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. a sensation of insects crawling on the skin; symptom of a nerve disorder

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Etymology

Origin of formication

1700–10; < Latin (Pliny) formīcātiōn-, stem of formīcātiō a sensation that ants are crawling on one's skin, equivalent to formicā ( re ) to have such a sensation (verbal derivative of formīca ant) + -tiōn- -tion

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

formication

A woman of fifty-two, married but having no children, and of negative family history, six years before the time of report showed the first symptoms of the affection, which began with formication in the finger-tips.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Walter L. (Walter Lytle) Pyle

But sooner or later peripheral neuritis develops, usually beginning with sensory disturbances, tingling, numbness, formication and occasionally cutaneous anaesthesia.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 6 "Armour Plates" to "Arundel, Earls of" by Various

The initial indications of the disease were cutaneous itching, tingling and formication, which gave place to actual loss of cutaneous sensation, first observed in the extremities.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7 "Equation" to "Ethics" by Various

The gangrene, which attacks the toes, fingers, ears, or nose, is preceded by formication, numbness, and pains in the parts to be affected, and is of the dry variety.

From Manual of Surgery Volume First: General Surgery. Sixth Edition. by Alexis Thomson

The same author speaks of a gentleman under treatment for stricture who could not eat figs without experiencing the most unpleasant formication of the palate and fauces.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Walter L. (Walter Lytle) Pyle