Sciatica

//saɪˈætɪkə// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Neuralgia of the sciatic nerve, characterised by pain radiating down through the buttocks and the back of the thigh. countable, uncountable

    "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."

  2. 2
    neuralgia along the sciatic nerve wordnet

Example

More examples

""According to his own statement, Tom Juncker has sciatica." "Really? And I thought, he was an alcoholic.""

Etymology

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

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.