noun
palpitation
pal-puh-TAY-shun/pˌælpʌtˈeɪʃʌn/
A noticeable fluttering or throbbing movement, especially of the heart.
She feels a brief palpitation in her chest after running.
Etymology
Latin palpitatio named throbbing or quivering motion, and the English word initially covered rapid movement generally. Its meaning narrowed to unusually rapid or disturbed beating of the heart.
In context
sometimes my pulse beat so quickly and hardly that I felt the palpitation of every artery
More examples
- Too much coffee sometimes gives him heart palpitations.
- The doctor asks how long the palpitations last.
- A sudden palpitation interrupts the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
Forms
palpitation · palpitations
palpitate verb — To beat, flutter, or throb noticeably.