Where does “frenetic” come from?
Frenetic comes from Old French frenetike, from Latin phreneticus, derived from Ancient Greek φρενῖτις meaning inflammation of the mind, ultimately from φρήν meaning diaphragm or mind.
frenetic (English): Fast, harried; having extreme enthusiasm or...
Definitions
- Fast, harried; having extreme enthusiasm or...
Ancestry of “frenetic”, step by step
frenetic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English frenetik
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | frenetik | Deranged, insane; not of sound mind |
| 2 | Old French | frenetike | — |
| 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 French frénétique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | frénétique | frantic; frenetic |