Where does “autistic” come from?
Autistic derives from English autism plus the English suffix -ic, where autism comes from English auto- combined with Latin -ista, ultimately from Ancient Greek αὐτός meaning self.
autistic (English): Having autism, or pertaining to autism; Socially...
Definitions
- Having autism, or pertaining to autism; Socially...
Ancestry of “autistic”, step by step
autistic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English autism
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | autism | A pervasive neurological condition that is... |
| 2 | French | autisme | autism |
| 3 | German | Autismus | autism |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | αὐτός | αὐτή f, αὐτό n; "first/second declension";... |
| 5 | French | mobile | mobile; moving; movable |
| 6 | Latin | mōbilis | movable, loose |
| 7 | Latin | -bilis | -ble |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | -ðlis | Forms adjectives from verb stems indicating capacity or worth of being acted on |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlom | Alternative form of *-trom; instrumental suffix;... |
via French autistique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | autistique | autistic |