Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hyperactivity” come from?

Hyperactivity comes from English hyper- plus activity, which derives from Middle French activité, Latin activitas (quality of being active), and Latin activus (doing, acting), from Latin agere (to do or drive).

hyperactivity (English): The quality of being hyperactive; excessive and...

Definitions

  1. The quality of being hyperactive; excessive and...

Ancestry of “hyperactivity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishactivityThe state or quality of being active; activeness;...
2Middle Frenchactivité—
3Latinactivitasactivity, movement, action
4Latināctīvus—
5Ancient GreekἐνεργητικόςAble to act on; acting on; Active; In the active...
6Ancient Greekἐνεργέωto be in action or activity, to operate; to...
7Ancient Greekἐνεργόςat work, active
8Ancient Greekἐν-in, within; on
9Ancient Greekἐνin, on, at; among; in, at, or during the time of
10Ancient Greekδέρμαskin, hide
11Ancient Greekγλυφήcarving, carved work; hole cut
12Ancient Greek-ῐ́ᾱ{{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine...
13Proto-Indo-European-íh₂—
14Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -h₂ →