Where does “neurasthenia” come from?
Neurasthenia comes from Ancient Greek νεῦρον and ἀσθένεια, the latter from ἀσθενής meaning weak, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots for negation and lacking strength.
neurasthenia (English): An ill-defined medical condition characterized by...
Definitions
- An ill-defined medical condition characterized by...
Ancestry of “neurasthenia”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | asthenia | Weakness; loss of strength |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἀσθένεια | weakness; sickness; moral weakness, depravity |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀσθενής | without strength, weak; feeble, sickly; sick, ill |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | σθένος | strength, might, power |
| 5 | English | micro- | API; Very small; One millionth |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | μικρο- | micro |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | μικρός | little, small |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | mēy- | soft, tender, dear |