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.

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-/, adjective hy·per·er·e·thism, noun

Words nearby erethism

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

British Dictionary definitions for erethic

erethism
/ (ˈɛrɪˌθɪzəm) /

noun

physiol an abnormally high degree of irritability or sensitivity in any part of the body
psychiatry
  1. a personality disorder resulting from mercury poisoning
  2. 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

Medical definitions for erethic

erethism
[ ĕr′ə-thĭz′əm ]

n.

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