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acnestis - n., that part of the body one cannot reach to scratch oneself.
In quadrupeds, between the shoulder blades, frequently extending down the back to the loins. Where this comes from is a puzzle: the 1828 Webster's "Gr. a priv. to rub or gnaw" -- so helpful. This seems to be saying, as does a contemporary British medical dictionary, from Greek a- (not) + κνησις, to scratch. OTOH, other sources are claiming it's from ἄκνηστις (aknēstis), spine, with a deeper root of knestis meaning spine and cheese-grater. And me without my Liddell and Scott. Pronounced ak-NEE-stis, and is not quite dead -- contemporary citations can be found.
---L.
In quadrupeds, between the shoulder blades, frequently extending down the back to the loins. Where this comes from is a puzzle: the 1828 Webster's "Gr. a priv. to rub or gnaw" -- so helpful. This seems to be saying, as does a contemporary British medical dictionary, from Greek a- (not) + κνησις, to scratch. OTOH, other sources are claiming it's from ἄκνηστις (aknēstis), spine, with a deeper root of knestis meaning spine and cheese-grater. And me without my Liddell and Scott. Pronounced ak-NEE-stis, and is not quite dead -- contemporary citations can be found.
---L.
