Definition of "lancinating" [lan•ci•na•ting]

• Characterized by a sensation of cutting, piercing, or stabbing. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The severe pain is described as lancinating, cutting, tearing, burning, boring and pressing."
• "It's that lancinating nerve pain that's often caused by trauma or some sort of injury or surgery."
• "This particular doctor is a fancy Park Ave ID guy who had lots of patients with country homes, and so he listened to my story about the myoclonus and the lancinating pains and immediately diagnosed Lyme."