Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “stress” come from?

Stress comes from Middle English destresse, from Latin dis- and stringo meaning to bind tightly, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European strenk-.

stress (English): A physical, chemical, infective agent aggressing...

Definitions

  1. A physical, chemical, infective agent aggressing...

Ancestry of “stress”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdestresse—
2Old Frenchdestrecierto distress
3Latindistringō—
4Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
5Latincalceusshoe
6Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
7Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “stress”

  • stressful
  • stressor
  • prestress
  • overstress
  • eustress
  • antistress
  • stressfulness
  • nonstressful
  • destress
  • stressfree
  • technostress
  • stressfully
  • unstress
  • stressless
  • stressable
  • backstress
  • unstressful
  • stressy
  • stresslet
  • hyperstress
  • isostress
  • interstress
  • stressbuster
  • photostress
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →