synaesthesia

[ sin-is-thee-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh ]

noun

1. synesthesia.

synaesthesia

/ ˌsɪniːsˈθɛtɪk; ˌsɪniːsˈθiːzɪə /

noun

1. physiol a sensation experienced in a part of the body other than the part stimulated
2. psychol the subjective sensation of a sense other than the one being stimulated. For example, a sound may evoke sensations of colour

Derived Forms

• synaesthetic, adjective

Other Words From

• syn·aes·thet·ic [sin-is-, thet, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of synaesthesia¹

from New Latin, from syn- + -esthesia, from Greek aisthēsis sensation

Example Sentences

I interviewed Pharrell, and I cut together a scene of him listening to Stevie Wonder as a boy, on his parents' stereo – and his synaesthesia kicks in.

From BBC

She has something called synaesthesia - a condition which fuses your senses, so instead of experiencing them separately and involuntarily, they are automatically joined together.

From BBC

I didn’t have the language to tell her that my sister and I have a neurological quirk called synaesthesia, which means our minds attribute a flavour or sensation to every name and place.

From The Guardian

Yet, it is anything but simple; she can reproduce a complex emotional state in just a squiggle – a talent she credits to her synaesthesia.

From The Guardian

Scientists now think we are all born with synaesthesia.

From BBC