Meaning & use
sternutation
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Meaning
nouncountable or uncountableformalmedical
The act of sneezing, named in a formal, scientific or medical way.
Grammar: Uncountable for the general reflex (sternutation is common in spring); countable for one instance (a loud sternutation).
Patterns
- fits of sternutation
- sternutation caused by something
The patient reported frequent sternutation whenever she was near cats.
Pepper dust can trigger sudden sternutation in sensitive people.
The doctor noted that the sternutation lasted only a few seconds each time.
Word forms
| plural | sternutations |
|---|
Common combinations
- violent sternutation
- A violent sternutation shook the whole classroom.
- trigger sternutation
- Bright sunlight can trigger sternutation in some people.
- induce sternutation
- The powder was said to induce sternutation within moments.
- fits of sternutation
- He suffered fits of sternutation each hay fever season.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sneezing
- Sneezing is the everyday word and sounds natural in any conversation, whereas sternutation sounds clinical or humorous.
- sneeze
- Sneeze usually names a single burst, while sternutation more often names the reflex in general.
- ptarmus
- Ptarmus is an even rarer medical term, found mostly in specialist texts.
Word family
- sternutator noun
- a substance that causes sneezing
- sternutatory adjective
- causing or relating to sneezing
- sternutative adjective
- causing sneezes
Commonly confused: sternutation or sternum?
sternutation vs sternum
The sternum is the breastbone and has nothing to do with sneezing, even though the words look alike.
Practice
A doctor writing a formal report would most likely use sternutation to describe which of these?
Choose one answer.
Sternutation is the formal word for sneezing. Coughing, chest pain and a sore throat are different symptoms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sternutation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.