sciatica

English

Etymology

Late Middle English, from Late Latin sciatica, feminine of sciaticus, from Ancient Greek ἰσχιαδικός (iskhiadikós), the adjective of ἰσχίον (iskhíon, hip).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /saɪˈætɪkə/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: sci‧at‧i‧ca

Noun

sciatica (countable and uncountable, plural sciaticas)

  1. (pathology, neurology) Neuralgia of the sciatic nerve, characterised by pain radiating down through the buttocks and the back of the thigh.
    • 2025 April 21, Peter Stanford, “Pope Francis obituary”, in The Guardian[1]:
      He picked up his own phone, shunned limos and preferred to walk if possible (sciatica later caused him to use a wheelchair) – as, for example, on the day after his election when he slipped away on foot to collect his suitcase and settle the bill at the modest pensione where he had been booked in before the conclave began.

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

Italian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): */ˈʃa.ti.ka/
  • Rhymes: -atika
  • Hyphenation: scià‧ti‧ca

Adjective

sciatica f sg

  1. feminine singular of sciatico

Noun

sciatica f (plural sciatiche)

  1. (pathology) sciatica
    Synonym: sciatalgia

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