erethism

[ er-uh-thiz-uhm ]

noun

, Physiology.

1. an unusual or excessive degree of irritability or stimulation in an organ or tissue.

erethism

/ ˈɛrɪˌθɪzəm /

noun

1. physiol an abnormally high degree of irritability or sensitivity in any part of the body
2. 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

• ˌereˈthismic, adjective

Other Words From

• ere·thismic er·e·this·tic [er-, uh, -, this, -tik], er·e·thit·ic [er-, uh, -, thit, -ik], e·reth·ic [uh, -, reth, -ik, e-, reth, -], adjective
• hyper·ere·thism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of erethism¹

1790–1800; < French éréthisme < Greek erethismós irritation, equivalent to ereth ( ízein ) to irritate + -ismos -ism

Word History and Origins

Origin of erethism¹

C18: from French éréthisme, from Greek erethismos irritation, from erethizein to excite, irritate

Example Sentences

From the beginning, and often for a long period antecedent to the appearance of cardiac symptoms, the subjects of Graves' disease present a considerable mental erethism.

From Project Gutenberg

They are irritable in the nervous sense and excitable, and this erethism increases their nervous instability which responds by craving further excitement.

From Project Gutenberg

They lose control over their vasomotor system to some extent as a result of this systemic erethism.

From Project Gutenberg

We write his course unfeeling, Weak, selfish, petty, flowing from the craze Of sexual jealousy, made worse by war, And universal madness, erethism Of hellish war.

From Project Gutenberg

All it is at first is a rude satisfaction of the erethism.

From Project Gutenberg