Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
💪 A sensitive spot ⚠️ A problem area
pressure point

pressure point

4 4.6
A spot on the body that is very sensitive when pressed
  • noun
  • /ˈprɛʃər pɔɪnt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : punto de presión
  • If the patient is complaining of occiput, chin, shoulder, ear, sternum, or laryngeal prominence (Adam's apple) pressure points, do request assistance to change the collar immediately.
  • massage the pressure points
  • pressure points on your body

And in Chinese medicine or an Ayurveda, they study pressure points.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Standing up, Ranjit squeezes the pressure point below his thumb to stop the bleeding.

  • It's just your knee going into the side of their thigh, bout midway up supposed to be a pressure point right there and it controls em really easy.

    Taxi to the Dark Side (2008)

  • There's another little pressure point here and also on my neck.

  • You find the pressure points and then come up along the knuckles like this, see?

    The Daytrippers (1997)

  • Fighting a nascent headache, she pressed the pressure points above her eyes.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • If the nurse identifies a pressure point, it is unfortunately imperative that the collar is reapplied.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Assess the skin for rashes, cuts, abrasions, and especially pressure point areas, and treat.

    Academic text (2002)

  • A wise man once taught me the healing power of the body's natural pressure points.

  • You'll hit a pressure point that is believed to release feelings of pleasure throughout your body.

Surface Forms

pressure point singular
pressure points plural

Morphology

pressure + point

The meaning 'an area on the body especially sensitive to pressure' is directly and predictably derived from combining 'pressure' (force applied) with 'point' (a specific spot), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a spot where applying pressure has a strong effect. This compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and in English medical/martial contexts, making the expression morphologically transparent.

Etymology

Pressure point comes from medicine and fighting: it is a small spot on the body where pressing the point with pressure can stop bleeding or cause strong pain. So the term means a body spot that is very sensitive and has a big effect when pressed.