Sternutation

Sternutation
Sneezing. When we sneeze, air is expelled with force from the nose (and from the mouth, if it is open) due to a spasmodic contraction of the chest muscles and diaphragm. A sneeze is often triggered by irritation of the mucous membrane of the nose or less often by a bright light striking the eye. One of the earliest known uses of the word "sternutation" in English is in a 16th-century book on midwifery, in a passage about infants suffering from frequent "sternutation and sneesynge." To sneeze in France is to "éternuer." The word has the same roots as sternutation, from the Latin "sternutare" which in turn came from the Latin "sterno" meaning to stretch out, spread out, strew, or scatter. This is an apt description for the act of sneezing if one doesn't cover ones nose and mouth during a sneeze! For a condition characterized by sneezing, see the Achoo syndrome.
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The act of sneezing. [L. sternutatio, fr. sternuo (sternuto), pp. sternutatus, to sneeze]

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ster·nu·ta·tion .stər-nyə-'tā-shən n the act, fact, or noise of sneezing

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ster·nu·ta·tion (stur″nu-taґshən) [L. sternutatio] sneeze (def. 2).

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • sternutation — [ stɛrnytasjɔ̃ ] n. f. • XVIe; sternutacion 1360; lat. sternutatio, de sternutare, de sternuare → éternuer ♦ Didact. Fait d éternuer; éternuements répétés. ● sternutation nom féminin (latin sternutare, éternuer) Action d éternuer, éternuement.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Sternutation — Ster nu*ta tion, n. [L. sternutatio, fr. sternutare to sneeze, intens. from sternuere.] The act of sneezing. Quincy. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sternutation — (lat.), das Niesen; sternutatīv, niesenerregend; Sternutatorĭum, Niesemittel …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • sternutation — [stʉr΄nyo͞o tā′shən] n. [L sternutatio < sternutare, freq. of sternuere, to sneeze < IE echoic base * pster , to sneeze > Gr ptarnysthai] a sneeze or the act of sneezing …   English World dictionary

  • sternutation — noun Etymology: Middle English sternutacion, from Latin sternutation , sternutatio, from sternutare to sneeze, frequentative of sternuere to sneeze; akin to Greek ptarnysthai to sneeze Date: 15th century the act, fact, or noise of sneezing …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Sternutation — Éternuement Le petit Sammy éternue (1904 à 1906) de Winsor McCay (1871 1934). L éternuement est une expiration brusque et bruyante, semi autonome ou involontaire (réflexe au niveau cortical) par le nez et la bouche provoqué par un mouvement sub …   Wikipédia en Français

  • sternutation — /sterr nyeuh tay sheuhn/, n. the act of sneezing. [1535 45; < L sternutation (s. of sternutatio), equiv. to sternutat(us) (ptp. of sternutare, freq. of sternuere to sneeze) + ion ION] * * * …   Universalium

  • sternutation — noun a sneeze; sneezing, especially as a symptom Syn: sneeze, ptarmus …   Wiktionary

  • Sternutation — Nysen …   Danske encyklopædi

  • sternutation — n. act of sneezing …   English contemporary dictionary

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