Where does “hypoglycemia” come from?
Hypoglycemia derives from English -emia, Ancient Greek γλυκύς meaning sweet, and Proto-Indo-European roots dl̥kú- and h₃ewp-.
hypoglycemia (English): A too low level of blood glucose
Definitions
- A too low level of blood glucose
Ancestry of “hypoglycemia”, step by step
hypoglycemia traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English hypo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | hypo | Melancholy; a fit of ‘hypochondria’; a morbid... |
| 2 | English | hypo- | Below; beneath; under; Deficient; less than... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ὑπό | |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |
via English glycemia
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | glycemia | Presence of glucose in the blood (which is always true), and average concentration thereof over time, and its regulation; in this sense, glycemia is hypernymic to euglycemia, hyperglycemia, and hypoglycemia, and a mention of glycemia is a reference to blood sugar regulation and degree or quality the |
| 2 | English | -emia | Alternative spelling of -aemia |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | αἷμᾰ | blood |