Pricklings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A series of small, sharp sensations often felt on the skin
2. the act of causing slight, painful stings or the result of experiencing such discomfort
3. a collective term for multiple instances of these tingling feelings that can provoke irritation

Etymology: "Pricklings" is the plural of "prickling," a noun for small stinging sensations. Its history runs through the verb "prickle," which comes from the Old English "pricel" or "pricle," a diminutive of "prica," meaning a point or goad. A prickle is therefore a little point, and the plural form simply counts several such sensations at once. The word "prickling" itself takes the form of a noun built from the verb, so the sense of a tiny sharp point has been turned into a feeling. Each prickling is like a miniature version of being pricked, felt on the skin or in the body without a real wound behind it.

Synonyms: tinglings, stings