Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In pathology, an abnormal subjective sensation, referred to the skin, resembling the feeling of ants creeping over the body.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Med.) A sensation resembling that made by the creeping of ants on the skin.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun An
abnormal skin sensation similar to that of insects crawling over or within the skin; atactile hallucination involving such a sensation. A common side-effect of substance abuse, it can also be experienced withhigh fever ,menopause ,skin cancer , diabetic neuropathy, orherpes zoster .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun hallucinated sensation that insects or snakes are crawling over the skin; a common side-effect of extensive use of cocaine or amphetamines
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word formication.
Examples
-
Check out the post on "formication". posted by sydney on
Medpundit 2003
-
Check out the post on "formication". posted by sydney on
Archive 2003-03-01 2003
-
The phenomena persisted from periods of a few hours to two or three days, return of function being first noticeable in the sensory nerves, and often with modification in the way of lowered acuteness, or minor signs of irritation, such as formication, slight hyperæsthesia or pain, pointing to a combination with the least extensive degrees of hæmorrhage; later, motor power was rapidly regained.
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre George Henry Makins
-
No change except a deepening of the anæsthesia, and the development of formication on manipulation of the wound occurred, and at the end of three weeks the nerve was exposed (Mr. Watson), and it was found that
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre George Henry Makins
-
The early return of sensation, even if modified in acuteness, was always a very hopeful sign; also the production of formication in the area of distribution of the nerve on manipulation of the injured spot.
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre George Henry Makins
-
A fortnight later this pain still persisted; there was lowered sensation in the ulnar area with formication, also lowered sensation in the internal cutaneous area of distribution; sensation in the lesser internal cutaneous area was normal.
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre George Henry Makins
-
When in a position allowing of direct examination, the contused portion of the nerve sometimes developed a palpable fusiform thickening, manipulation of which might give rise to formication in the area of distribution -- a favourable prognostic sign.
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre George Henry Makins
-
The track was now hard and palpable, but there was no hyperæsthesia in any area; when the track was manipulated slight formication in the hand was experienced.
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre George Henry Makins
-
I dozed until the ants found me out, when, unable to lie quiet under the formication, I got up and passed hours walking up and down till I was so tired that I almost fell asleep walking; then I lay down again and slept for an hour, but the cold and the ants awoke me again, and I spent the rest of the night by the camp-fire.
The Autobiography of a Journalist Stillman, William James, 1828-1901 1901
-
The same author speaks of a gentleman under treatment for stricture who could not eat figs without experiencing the most unpleasant formication of the palate and fauces.
-
And some more bizarre symptoms — when I went through menopause, I had something that felt like it was from a horror movie: formication, which means an itchy feeling under the skin, like crawling ants.
Why do doctors know so little about natural HRT? Kate Muir 2022
joannasephine commented on the word formication
how disturbing that there's a word for it ...
April 3, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word formication
Thou shalt not formicate.
April 3, 2008
super-logos commented on the word formication
The mathematician was charged by the judge with five counts of formication, and two counts of bad taste.
August 15, 2008