What does lalochezia mean?

Lalochezia is the emotional relief that a person may feel after cursing. Sometimes lalochezia is also used to refer to the use of profanity to provide such relief.

Lalochezia is mostly a novelty word that gives a name to this very specific thing. But while use of the word is rare, the thing it describes is probably very common. Scientific studies have shown that cursing somehow reduces discomfort or pain, such as when you yell $#%& after hitting your thumb with a hammer.

Example: I know it makes me feel better when I curse under my breath after stepping on one of my kids’ sharp toys, but scientists think that lalochezia might actually reduce pain in the brain.