Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hyperventilation” come from?

Hyperventilation derives from English ventilation combined with Ancient Greek ὑπέρ meaning over, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European upér and upo, while ventilation itself comes from Latin ventus meaning wind through the suffix -tio.

hyperventilation (English): the state of breathing faster or deeper than...

Definitions

  1. the state of breathing faster or deeper than...

Ancestry of “hyperventilation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishventilationThe replacement of stale or noxious air with...
2Middle Frenchventilation—
3Old Frenchventilacion—
4Late Latinventilatioairing; ventilation
5Latinventilō—
6Latinventusa wind; arrival
7Proto-Italicwentoswind
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wéh₁n̥tsblowing; that which blows; the wind, air
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wḗh₁tito blow
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂weh₁-to blow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂weh₁- →