Fidgetation

/ˌfɪdʒɪˈteɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The state or quality of being fidgety; restless or nervous movement, or the act of fidgeting.

Etymology

From fidget plus -ation (a suffix forming nouns describing actions or conditions). This 19th-century coinage attempted to create a formal noun describing fidgeting behavior.

Kelly Says

Fidgetation is a wonderfully clunky word—it's how 19th-century doctors and educators formally described what we just call 'the wiggles.' It sounds scientific, which made children look more pathological.

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