erethism

From French éréthisme, from Ancient Greek ἐρεθισμός (erethismós), from ἐρεθίζειν (erethízein, “to irritate”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛɹɪθɪzəm/

erethism (countable and uncountable, plural erethisms)

1. (pathology) Abnormal excitement of a bodily organ or tissue.
2. Any unusual or morbid overexcitement.
   • 1978, Robert Hurley, trans. Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality Volume I, Penguin 1978, p. 32:

     Since the eighteenth century, sex has not ceased to provoke a kind of generalized discursive erethism.

3. A neurological disorder arising from mercury poisoning, leading to irritability, depression, etc.

   Synonyms: erethism mercurialis, mad hatter disease, mad hatter syndrome

• erethic

• etherism