Definition of pain

Have you ever looked up the definition of pain? According to one source, the word pain comes from Latin, from the word poena, which means a fine or a penalty. Ouch. No wonder people often think of pain as a punishment.

The Merriam-Webster Online dictionary says its roots also come from Greek poinē , meaning payment.

The dictionary defines pain as: usu. localized physical suffering associated with bodily disorder (as a disease or an injury); also : a basic bodily sensation induced by a noxious stimulus, received by naked nerve endings, characterized by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leading to evasive action b: acute mental or emotional distress or suffering.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines pain as: 1. An unpleasant sensation occurring in varying degrees of severity as a consequence of injury, disease, or emotional disorder. 2. Suffering or distress. 3. pains The pangs of childbirth. 4. pains Great care or effort: take pains with one’s work. 5. Informal A source of annoyance; a nuisance.

 And finally, the Merriam-Webster Medical dictionary defines pain as: 1 a : a state of physical, emotional, or mental lack of well-being or physical, emotional, or mental uneasiness that ranges from mild discomfort or dull distress to acute often unbearable agony, may be generalized or localized, and is the consequence of being injured or hurt physically or mentally or of some derangement of or lack of equilibrium in the physical or mental functions (as through disease), and that usually produces a reaction of wanting to avoid, escape, or destroy the causative factor and its effects <was in constant pain> b : a basic bodily sensation that is induced by a noxious stimulus, is received by naked nerve endings, is characterized by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leads to evasive action.

I though the definitions were interesting.