Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “epilepsy” come from?

Epilepsy comes from Old French epilepsie, Latin epilepsia, and Ancient Greek ἐπιληψία, derived from ἐπί and λαμβάνω meaning "to seize upon."

epilepsy (English): A medical condition in which the sufferer...

Definitions

  1. A medical condition in which the sufferer...

Ancestry of “epilepsy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchépilepsieepilepsy
2Old Frenchepilepsieepilepsy
3Latinepilēpsia—
4Ancient Greekἐπιληψίαseizure
5Ancient GreekἐπιλαμβάνωI take or get besides; I lay hold of, seize,...
6Ancient Greekἐπι-on, upon, on top of, all over, covering; on,...
7Ancient Greekἐπίas well, besides; For usage in composition, see...
8Ancient GreekἩμέρα—
9Ancient Greekἦμαρday; by day; midday
10Proto-Hellenicā́mər—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eh₃mr̥heat
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eh₃-to be hot; to burn

Words derived from “epilepsy”

  • antiepilepsy
  • hysteroepilepsy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eh₃- →