Where does “antipsychotic” come from?
Antipsychotic is derived from English psychotic, which comes from English psychosis, ultimately from Ancient Greek ἀντί meaning "against" and -ωσις a suffix denoting a state or condition, both rooted in Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- meaning "front" or "facing."
antipsychotic (English): Preventing or counteracting psychosis; Any of a...
Definitions
- Preventing or counteracting psychosis; Any of a...
Ancestry of “antipsychotic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | psychotic | Of, related to, or suffering from psychosis; A... |
| 2 | English | psychosis | A severe mental disorder, sometimes with physical... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ψύχωσις | animation, principle of life |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ωσις | abnormal condition or state; state, abnormal... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -σῐς | "suffix forming nouns" |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -τις | retained after dentals |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -tis | Derives abstract/action nouns from verb roots |