nociception

N1O1C3I1C3E1P3T1I1O1N1

noun

The physiological process underlying the sensation of pain.

RareScrabble 17

Meanings

nounnociception (countable and uncountable, plural nociceptions)

plural nociceptions · alternative nocioception

  1. countableuncountablemedicineThe physiological process underlying the sensation of pain.
    1 more example

    The sensation was curious. The bullet passed through her thigh, cleanly, severing the dust-bones and making the second self stumble for a moment before knitting the injury back together. It didn't hurt — she'd have needed an entire quarry's worth of sand for nociception — but she still felt the hole appear, still felt the tiny slug passing through, still felt the quivering impact and the explosive exit. She felt the next three as well, and then she was standing over a cowering woman in a black leather jacket and beanie with a look of complete and total bafflement on her face.

    2023 September 22, HarryBlank, “Off Track”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 25 May 2024

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

  1. Latinnocēre“to hurt”
  2. Englishnociception

From Latin nocēre (“to hurt”) + English (re)ception. By surface analysis, noci- + -ception.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan nocicepció
  • nocicepcióphysiological process underlying the sensation of pain
Czech nocicepce
  • nocicepcephysiological process underlying the sensation of pain
Finnish kipuaisti
  • kipuaistiphysiological process underlying the sensation of pain
French nociception
  • nociceptionphysiological process underlying the sensation of pain
Italian nocicezione
  • nocicezionephysiological process underlying the sensation of pain
Polish nocycepcja
  • nocycepcjaphysiological process underlying the sensation of pain
Portuguese nocicepção
  • nocicepçãophysiological process underlying the sensation of pain
Spanish nocicepción
  • nocicepciónphysiological process underlying the sensation of pain
Cite this entry
APA

nociception. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nociception

MLA

“nociception.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nociception. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nociception,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nociception.

Source: nociception on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.