kinesthesia

1 of 2

noun

kin·​es·​the·​sia ˌki-nəs-ˈthē-zh(ē-)ə  ˌkī- 

variants or kinesthesis

ˌki-nəs-ˈthē-səs 

ˌkī-

or chiefly British kinaesthesia or kinaesthesis

plural kinesthesias or kinestheses ˌki-nəs-ˈthē-ˌsēz 

ˌkī-

: a sense mediated by receptors located in muscles, tendons, and joints and stimulated by bodily movements and tensions

also : sensory experience derived from this sense

kinesthetic

ˌki-nəs-ˈthe-tik 

ˌkī-

adjective

or chiefly British kinaesthetic

kinesthetically

ˌki-nəs-ˈthe-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌkī-

adverb

or chiefly British kinaesthetically

kinesthetic

2 of 2

adjective

kin·​es·​thet·​ic

variants or less commonly kinaesthetic

¦⸗⸗¦thet|ik, 

-et|, 

|ēk

: of or relating to bodily reaction or motor memory

get kinesthetic pleasure from watching skaters waltz

seldom had a kinesthetic image of the first weight at the moment of lifting … the second

—R. S. Woodworth

kinesthetically adverb

or less commonly kinaesthetically

|ə̇k(ə)lē, 

|ēk-, 

-li

Examples of kinesthesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The sensation is entirely distinct from touch, yet kinesthesia is equally if not more important for complex motor tasks. —Robbie Gonzalez, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2018

This sense of body position, known as kinesthesia, has proved tricky to build into prosthetic arms. —Frankie Schembri, Science | AAAS, 14 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin, from Greek kinein + aisthēsis perception — more at anesthesia — see -kinesis

Adjective

from New Latin kinesthesia, after such pairs as New Latin anesthesia : English anesthetic

First Known Use

Noun

1880, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for kinesthesia

• anaesthesia
• analgesia
• anesthesia
• dyskinesia
• paresthesia
• amnesia
• atresia
• babesia
• hyperalgesia
• hyperesthesia

Medical Definition

kinesthesia

noun

kin·​es·​the·​sia ˌkin-əs-ˈthē-zh(ē-)ə, ˌkī-nəs- 

variants or kinesthesis

-ˈthē-səs 

or chiefly British kinaesthesia or kinaesthesis

plural kinesthesias or kinestheses -ˌsēz 

: a sense mediated by end organs located in muscles, tendons, and joints and stimulated by bodily movements and tensions

also : sensory experience derived from this sense see muscle sense

kinesthetic adjective

or chiefly British kinaesthetic

-ˈthet-ik 

kinesthetically adverb

or chiefly British kinaesthetically

-i-k(ə-)lē