Where does “frantic” come from?
Frantic comes from Middle English frantik, from Old French frenetique, from Late Latin phreneticus, from Latin phreniticus, from Ancient Greek φρενῑτικός, derived from φρενῖτις meaning inflammation of the mind, from φρήν meaning mind or diaphragm, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰren-.
frantic (English): Insane, mentally unstable; In a state of panic,...
Definitions
- Insane, mentally unstable; In a state of panic,...
Ancestry of “frantic”, step by step
frantic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English frantik
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | frantik | — |
| 2 | Old French | frenetique | — |
| 3 | Latin | phreneticus | mad, delirious |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | φρενητικός | delirious |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | φρενῖτις | inflammation of the brain |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | φρήν | The midriff, stomach and lower chest or breast;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰren- | soul, mind; mind; an internal part of the body |
via Middle English frentik
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | frentik | — |