epicritic

American  

[ep-i-krit-ik] / ˌɛp ɪˈkrɪt ɪk /

adjective

Physiology.

1. noting or pertaining to a discriminating responsiveness to small variations in pain or temperature stimuli (opposed to protopathic).

---

epicritic British  

/ ˌɛpɪˈkrɪtɪk /

adjective

1. (of certain nerve fibres of the skin) serving to perceive and distinguish fine variations of temperature or touch

---

Etymology

Origin of epicritic

First recorded in 1900–05, epicritic is from the Greek word epikrítikos determinative. See epicrisis ¹, -tic

Example Sentences

Its coiled, compact style and solid substance establish Author Price, 33, as a prose poet of epicritic sensibility.

From Time Magazine Archive

The fibres concerned are non-medullated and regenerate comparatively quickly after injury, so that protopathic sensibility is regained before epicritic.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander

Protopathic and epicritic sensibility are lost over the radial side of the forearm.

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

Protopathic sensibility is of a lower order than epicritic.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander

The areas of epicritic and of protopathic insensibility are illustrated in Fig. 91.

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