urticate
/ˈəːtɪkeɪt
/verb [no object]
Cause a stinging or prickling sensation like that given by a nettle: (as adjective urticating) the urticating hairs...
- The hairs can be shed or inserted by direct contact with potential predators by rubbing the region with urticating hairs.
- By the time I found it, all it's urticating hairs were embedded in my skin.
- Tarantulas also use urticating hairs to establish their territories, and also for making the cocoon.
Derivatives
urtication
- Roman soldiers used urtication, or external stinging, to relieve the pain of arthritis.
- In some but not all patients this was accompanied by diminution of urtication in response to cooling.
- The exact scientific mechanism by which urtication works is still unclear.
Origin
Mid 19th century (earlier (mid 17th century) as urtication): from medieval Latin urticat- 'stung', from the verb urticare, from Latin urtica (see urticaria).