Word History

Etymology

French, painful twitch

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tic douloureux was in 1800

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tic douloureux.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tic%20douloureux. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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