Dictionary

formication en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio

Etymology

Circa 1700, from Latin formīca (“ant”) + -tion.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) An abnormal skin sensation similar to that of insects crawling over or within the skin; a tactile hallucination involving such a sensation. A common side-effect of substance abuse, it can also be experienced with high fever, menopause, skin cancer, diabetic neuropathy, or herpes zoster.
   • Soon the formications and muscular debility returned, not alone, but accompanied with painful cramps and startlings in the feet and calves of the legs. 1853, The Scottish Review:

Forms

Relateds

formic acid · formicate · formic

Synonyms

creevles · creepy-crawlies

Translations (7)

fr fourmillement (abnormal skin sensation) · pt formigamento (abnormal skin sensation) · tr karıncalanma (abnormal skin sensation) · es formicación (abnormal skin sensation) · ota قرنجهلانمه (abnormal skin sensation) · ar تَنْمِيل (abnormal skin sensation) · ota قرنجه (abnormal skin sensation)