Where does “paroxysm” come from?
Paroxysm comes from French paroxysme, from Ancient Greek παροξυσμός, derived from παρά meaning beside and a root meaning to sharpen or provoke.
paroxysm (English): A random or sudden outburst; An explosive event...
Definitions
- A random or sudden outburst; An explosive event...
Ancestry of “paroxysm”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | paroxism | — |
| 2 | Middle French | paroxisme | — |
| 3 | Old French | peroxime | — |
| 4 | Ecclesiastical Latin | paroxismus | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | πᾰροξῠσμός | irritation, exasperation |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | πᾰροξῡ́νω | to urge, prick, spur on, stimulate |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | πᾰρᾰ- | near; next to; by, near |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | παρά | |
| 9 | Latin | verēdus | A fast or light breed of horse; courier's horse; hunter |
| 10 | Gaulish | werēdos | horse |
| 11 | Proto-Celtic | *uɸoreidos | horse |