synesthesia

American  

[sin-uhs-thee-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh] / ˌsɪn əsˈθi ʒə, -ʒi ə, -zi ə /

noun

1. a sensation produced in one modality when a stimulus is applied to another modality, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color.

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synesthesia British  

/ ˌsɪniːsˈθɛtɪk, ˌsɪniːsˈθiːzɪə /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of synaesthesia

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Other Word Forms

• nonsynesthetic adjective
• synesthete noun
• synesthetic adjective

Etymology

Origin of synesthesia

First recorded in 1890–95; from New Latin; syn-, esthesia

Example Sentences

“And then synesthesia would be … these rare individuals who experience additional sensations that sometimes happen to be across the senses, but most commonly sight,” Spence told Salon in a video interview.

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2025

A further revelation came after intermission with an even more impressive concert performance of Bartók’s “Duke Bluebeard’s Castle” that demonstrated the radical difference between theater and synesthesia.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2024

You’ll notice the way synesthesia guides his pen, and you’ll pick up his themes of exile, wonder, the afterlife and the privacy and primacy of marriage.

From New York Times • Oct. 15, 2023

As the demand for advanced human-machine interfaces continues to surge, the stretchable high-resolution multicolor synesthesia display offers a tantalizing glimpse into the limitless possibilities of tomorrow.

From Science Daily • Oct. 12, 2023

Raising his voice above the banging pots, Dad asks me if I’m excited about the synesthesia meeting.

From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass