English Explanatory Dictionary

kinesics

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The study of non-verbal communication by means of gestures and/or other body movements.
  2. Such non-verbal communication.

Pronunciation

/kɪˈniːsɪks/ /kaɪ-/ /kəˈnisɪks/ En-us-kinesics.ogg

Word forms

kinesics

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κῑ́νησῐς (kī́nēsĭs, “motion”, noun) + English -ics (suffix forming nouns denoting fields of knowledge or practice), coined by the American anthropologist Ray L. Birdwhistell (1918–1994) in his work Introduction to Kinesics (1952) (see the quotation). Κῑ́νησῐς (Kī́nēsĭs) is derived from κῑνέω (kīnéō, “to set in motion, move”) (from Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- (“to be lying down; to settle”)) + -σῐς (-sĭs, suffix forming abstract nouns or nouns of action, process, or result). Compare kinesia and kinesic.

Synonyms

body language

Related words

kinesi- kinesia -kinesia kinesic -kinesis kinesis parakinesic parakinesics parakinesis
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