motion sickness

American

noun

Pathology.

a feeling of nausea and dizziness, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, resulting from stimulation by motion of the semicircular canals of the ear during travel by car, plane, etc.

motion sickness British

noun

the state or condition of being dizzy or nauseous from riding in a moving vehicle

"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

Etymology

Origin of motion sickness

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The motion sickness opportunity could add some upside to numbers, and today’s approval is a big milestone for the company,” Cantor analyst Olivia Brayer wrote in a late Tuesday note.

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

I am plagued by motion sickness, of which the most pernicious variety is “sim sickness.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

The lawsuits say people buy window seats for various reasons including addressing fear of flying and motion sickness, keeping children occupied or for the view.

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

Those of us in this car — and watching it from the stands — are suffering from motion sickness.

From Salon • Sep. 9, 2024

He suffered from motion sickness, and being at the wheel lessened his nausea.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023