pandiculation

English

Joseph Ducreux pandiculating; self-portrait ca 1783

Cat pandiculating

Etymology

pandiculate +‎ -ion

Pronunciation

Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

pandiculation (countable and uncountable, plural pandiculations)

1. A stretching and stiffening of the trunk and extremities, as when fatigued and drowsy or on waking, often accompanied by yawning.
   • 1993, John Banville, Ghosts:

     If I were a visitor from another planet - but then, am I not a visitor from another planet? - I think that of all the earthlings' quirks it is the act of pandiculation that would surprise and fascinate me most, that slow stretch and then the soundless ape-howl, in which they indulge themselves with such languorous relish.

Translations

stretching and stiffening of the trunk and extremities as when fatigued and drowsy

• Finnish: venyttely
• French: pandiculation (fr) f
• German: Räkeln, Strecken (de)
• Hindi: अंगड़ाई f (aṅgṛāī)
• Hungarian: please add this translation if you can
• Icelandic: syfjuteygjur f pl, morgunteygjur f pl
• Italian: pandiculazione (it) f
• Malay: menggeliat
• Maori: taiaroa, taiari, taieri
• Portuguese: pandiculação f, espreguiçamento m
• Russian: please add this translation if you can
• Spanish: estiramiento (es) m

References

• “pandiculation”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɑ̃.di.ky.la.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

pandiculation f (plural pandiculations)

1. pandiculation

Further reading

• “pandiculation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.