kinesics

noun

ki·​ne·​sics kə-ˈnē-siks 

kī-,

-ziks

plural in form but singular in construction

: a systematic study of the relationship between nonlinguistic body motions (such as blushes, shrugs, or eye movement) and communication

Did you know?

Anthropologists began to take serious interest in nonverbal communication through gestures, postures, and facial expressions in the 1940s. It is believed, however, that the publication of Ray Birdwhistell’s 1952 book Introduction to Kinesics marked the beginning of formal research into what we know familiarly as "body language." Over 50 years later, the results of kinesics are deeply entrenched in our culture, giving us a whole new language with which to interpret everyday encounters and interaction.

Examples of kinesics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

March’s program will also educate the viewer about the benefits of kinesics (body movement in nonverbal communication), proxemics (proper body spacing in communication), and haptics (the study of touching in nonverbal communication). —Hank Beckman, chicagotribune.com, 28 Feb. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Greek kinēsis motion + English -ics

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

kinesics

noun

ki·​ne·​sics kə-ˈnē-siks 

kī-,

-ziks

: the study of body motions (as blushes, shrugs, or eye movement) that communicate