knismesis

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κνησμός (knēsmós, “itching”) + -esis.

Noun

knismesis (uncountable)

1. Light tickling often accompanied by an itching sensation.
   • 1897, G. Stanley Hall, Arthur Alliń, “The Psychology of Tickling, Laughing, and the Comic”, in The American Journal of Psychology, 9(1) (Oct., 1897), pp. 1-41:

     Pending a better nomenclature we suggest for the former the term knismesis and for the latter the term gargalesis, with the adjectives knismic and gargalic, hyperknismesis and hyper-gargalesis for excess, etc.

   • 1999, Christine R. Harris, Nicholas Christenfeld, “Can a machine tickle?”, in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 6(3) pp. 504-510:

     One can readily elicit knismesis in oneself (this is easily demonstrated by dragging a fingernail lightly over one’s skin). However, one cannot produce gargalesis in oneself; the present investigation focuses on this peculiar fact.

Coordinate terms

• gargalesis

Anagrams

• Simkinses