noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˌpærɪsˈθiːziə
UK:-ʒə/
1
noun
Meaning 1
A sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin, with no obvious cause.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Paresthesia occurs when a body part 'falls asleep'.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
abnormal skin sensations (as tingling or tickling or itching or burning) usually associated with peripheral nerve damage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: paraesthesia
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: symptom
Narrower terms: formication
History
Etymology
From Ancient Greek παραίσθησις (paraísthēsis). By surface analysis, para- + -esthesia.
Across languages
Translations
20 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
парене
(parene)
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Bulgarian:
сърбеж
(sǎrbež)
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Cebuano:
binhod
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Chinese Mandarin:
感覺異常 /感觉异常
(gǎnjué yìcháng)
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Czech:
parestézie
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Finnish:
parestesia
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
French:
paresthésie
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Galician:
formigo
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Galician:
parestesia
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
German:
Missempfindung
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
German:
Empfindungsstörung
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
German:
Sensibilitätsstörung
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
German:
Parästhesie
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
German:
Fehlempfindung
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Italian:
parestesia
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Khiamniungan Naga:
tǖtsīngtsīng
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Nupe:
kpadzákpadzá
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Polish:
parestezja
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Portuguese:
parestesia
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
Yoruba:
pajápajá
— sensation of burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of the skin with no obvious cause
