Rubatosis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An imagined sensation of one's heartbeat that feels unusually pronounced or noticeable
2. A perceived awareness of the rhythm and force of one’s own heart, often causing distraction or concern
3. The subjective feeling of a heartbeat that seems to stand out or become more intrusive than usual

Etymology: "Rubatosis" was coined in 2012 by John Koenig, the American writer and neologist behind The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a project that invents words for emotions that have no existing name. Koenig built it from "rubato," the musical term for flexible timing, in which a performer briefly speeds up or slows down the beat for expressive effect. The idea is that a heartbeat which suddenly seems to lurch or hesitate sounds like a little rubato played by the body. The word follows the pattern of "-osis," a suffix from Greek used in medical terms for abnormal or diseased conditions, such as "neurosis" or "psychosis." Koenig added it to "rubato" to give the feeling the tone of a clinical condition, though the sensation it names is harmless and ordinary.

Synonyms: anxiety, nervousness