Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hysterics” come from?

Hysterics comes from Latin hystericus, from Ancient Greek ὑστερικός, derived from ὑστέρα (womb), itself from ὕστερος (latter, inferior), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European údteros with the comparative suffix -teros.

hysterics (English): plural of hysteric; Hysteria

Definitions

  1. plural of hysteric; Hysteria

Ancestry of “hysterics”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhystericHysterical; relating to hysteria; A hysterical...
2Latinhystericushysterical
3Ancient Greekὑστερικόςsuffering in the uterus, hysterical; relating to...
4Ancient Greek-ικόςof or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic
5Ancient Greek-κόςforms adjectives with the sense of 'of or...
6Proto-Indo-European-ḱos-y, -ic
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos →