Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of sneezing: "sternutation" refers to the involuntary, sudden expulsion of air through the nose and mouth, typically caused by irritation in the nasal passages.

Usage

• "Sternutation" is a formal, technical, or medical term. It is rarely used in everyday conversation, where the word "sneeze" is far more common. It is typically found in scientific, medical, or humorous contexts.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor noted that frequent sternutation could be a symptom of an allergy.
  • In his lecture on reflexes, the professor discussed the physiology of sternutation.

Advanced Usage

• "To induce sternutation": to cause sneezing.
  • The strong smell of pepper can induce sternutation.

Variants and Related Words

• Sternutatory (adj): causing or relating to sneezing.
  • Pepper is a sternutatory substance.
• Sternutator (n): an agent that causes sneezing.
  • Some chemical weapons act as sternutators.

Synonyms

• Sneeze (n): the common, everyday word for the act or sound of sternutation.
• Sneezing (n): the gerund form, meaning the action of sneezing.

Related Phrases

• Fit of sternutation: a series of sneezes.
  • She suffered a sudden fit of sternutation in the dusty attic.

Noun

1. a symptom consisting of the involuntary expulsion of air from the nose