acnestis

== English == === Etymology === From Late Latin acnestis, from Koine Greek ἄκνηστις (áknēstis, “spine”), from κνῆστις (knêstis, “spine, cheese-grater”), or from ἀ- (a-) + -κναίειν (-knaíein, “grate, scrape, scratch”) (only attested in compounds), or from incorrect segmentation of κατὰ κνῆστιν (katà knêstin, “on the spine”) (see Homer, Odyssey 10.161), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kneh₂-. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ækˈniːstɪs/ Hyphenation: acnes‧tis === Noun === acnestis (zoology) The section of an animal's skin that it cannot reach in order to scratch itself, usually the space between the shoulder blades. ==== Quotations ==== For more quotations using this term, see Citations:acnestis. === References === A.Word.A.Day Oxford Dictionaries === Anagrams === Castines, casinets, cineasts, scanties