Etymology dictionary
hydrophobic (adj.) — hypocoristic (adj.)
hydrophobic (adj.)
1807, from hydrophobia + -ic.
hydrophobia (n.)
late 14c., idroforbia, "dread of water, aversion to swallowing water," a symptom of rabies in man (sometimes used for the disease itself), from Late Latin hydrophobia, from Greek hydrophobos "dreading water," from hydr-, stem of hydor "water" (from suffixed form of PIE root *wed- (1) "water; wet") + phobos "dread, fear" (see phobia). So called because human sufferers show aversion to water and have difficulty swallowing it. In Old English as wæterfyrhtness. Related: Hydrophobe.
hydroplane (n.)
"motorboat that glides on the surface of water," 1895, coined by U.S. engineer Harvey D. Williams ["Sibley Journal of Engineering," Cornell University, vol. x, p.81]; from hydro- + ending from airplane.
hydroplane (v.)
by 1908, "to skim the surface of water by use of hydroplanes," from hydroplane (n.). The meaning "skid on a thin layer of water" (especially of automobile tires) is recorded by 1962, properly aquaplane (itself from 1961 in this sense). Related: Hydroplaned; hydroplaning.
hydroponics (n.)
"process of growing plants without soil," 1937, formed in English from hydro- "water" + -ponics, from Greek ponein "to labor, toil," from ponos "labor" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin"). Related: Hydroponic (adj.).
hydropower (n.)
"hydroelectric power," 1922, from hydro- (short for hydro-electric) + power (n.).
hydropsy (n.)
see dropsy.
hydrosphere (n.)
"the waters of the Earth's surface," 1870, from hydro- + sphere.
hydrostatic (adj.)
"pertaining to the principles of equilibrium of fluids," 1670s, from hydro- "water" + -static "stabilizing" (see -stat). Related: Hydrostatics (1650s); hydrostatical.
hydrotherapy (n.)
1842, from hydro- "water" + therapy. Related: Hydrotherapeutic.
hydrothermal (adj.)
"of or pertaining to heated water," 1855, in geology, from hydro- "water" + thermal (adj.).
hydrous (adj.)
"containing water," 1812; see hydro- + -ous.
hydroxide (n.)
1830, from French hydroxide; see hydro- + oxide.
Hydrus
"fabulous water serpent," 1660s, from Latin Hydrus, from Greek hydros "water-snake" (see hydra). The constellation (attested by 1670s in English) was one of the 11 added to Ptolemy's list in the 1610s by Flemish cartographer Petrus Plancius (1552-1622) after Europeans began to explore the Southern Hemisphere.
hyena (n.)
mid-14c., from Old French hiene, from Latin hyaena, from Greek hyaina "hyena," apparently a fem. formation from hys "pig," from PIE *su- "swine" (see sow (n.)). With fem. suffix -aina. So called for its bristles. Applied to cruel, treacherous, and greedy persons at least since 1670s. Adjectival forms that have been attempted in English include hyenaish, hyenaesque, hyenic, hyenine, hyenoid.
hyetal (adj.)
"of or relating to rain," 1855, American English, from Greek hyetos "rain" (see hyeto-) + -al (1).
hyeto-
word-forming element in science meaning "rain," from Greek hyetos "rain," from hyein "to rain," from PIE root *seue- (2) "take liquid" (see sup (v.2)).
hygienic (adj.)
1815, from French hygiénique (1812), from hygiène (see hygiene). The earlier adjective was hygienal (1660s). Related: Hygienics (1836).
hygiene (n.)
1670s, from French hygiène, ultimately from Greek hygieine techne "the healthful art," from hygies "healthy, sound, hearty," literally "living well" (personified as the goddess Hygieia), from PIE *eyu-gwie-es- "having a vigorous life," from root *aiw-, *ayu- "vital force, life, long life, eternity; in the prime of life, young" (source of Latin aevus, English ever). The Greek adjective was used by Aristotle as a noun meaning "health." The difficult spelling in English is a relic of the struggle to render the Greek vowels into French.
hygienist (n.)
1836, "an expert on cleanliness," from hygiene + -ist. Earlier was hygeist (1716). Dental sense is recorded by 1913.
hygro-
word-forming element meaning "wet, moist; moisture," from Greek hygros "wet, moist, fluid; weak, soft, flexible." Beekes says possible cognates include Old Norse vokr (accusative vokvan) "moist, wet;" Latin uvidus, udus.
hygrology (n.)
"science of bodily humors," 1787, from French or German hygrologie, which are earlier, or from hygro- "wet, moist; moisture" + -logy.
hygrometer (n.)
"instrument for measuring atmospheric moisture," 1660s, from French hygromètre, from Greek hygro- "wet, moist; moisture" (see hygro-) + -meter. Related: Hygrometry; hygrometric.
hygroscope (n.)
"device which indicates atmospheric humidity," 1660s, from hygro- "wet, moist; moisture" + -scope. It indicates the presence of moisture but not the amount (which is measured by a hygrometer). Related: Hygroscopic.
Hyksos
c. 1600, 15th dynasty of Egyptian kings (1650-1558 B.C.E.), called "Shepherd Kings," from Greek Hyksos, from Egyptian, explained variously as hiq shasu "ruler of nomads," or heqa khoswe "chief of foreign lands."
hylo-
word-forming element meaning "wood, forest," also "matter," from Greek hylos "a wood, a forest, woodland; wood, firewood, timber; stuff, material," used by Aristotle for "matter" in the philosophical sense; a word of unknown origin.
hymen (n.)
1610s, from French hymen (16c.), from medical Latin, ultimately from Greek hymen "membrane (especially 'virginal membrane,' as the membrane par excellence); thin skin," from PIE *syu-men-, from root *syu- "to bind, sew." Specific modern medical meaning begins with Vesalius in the 1555 edition of "De humani corporis fabrica." Apparently not directly connected to Hymen, the god of marriage, but sharing the same root and in folk etymology supposed to be related. Related: Hymenial.
Hyman
masc. proper name; see Hymie.
Hymen
1580s, Greek god of marriage, represented as a youth carrying a torch and a veil, perhaps etymologically "the joiner," literally "the one who sews" (two together); see hymen. Related: Hymeniac.
hymeneal (adj.)
c. 1600, "of or relating to a marriage," with -al (1) + Hymen, Greek god of marriage. Compare Latin hymenaeus, from Greek hymenaios "belonging to wedlock;" also as a noun "wedding, wedding song." As a noun in English, "wedding hymn," from 1717.
hymeno-
word-forming element used in technical and scientific compounds, "membrane," from Greek hymen "membrane" (see hymen).
Hymenoptera
order of insects that includes ants, wasps, and bees, 1773, coined in Modern Latin 1748 by Linnæus from Greek hymen (genitive hymenos) "membrane" (see hymen) + pteron "wing" (from PIE root *pet- "to rush, to fly"). Related: Hymenopterous.
hymie (n.)
"Jewish male" (derogatory), by early 1980s, apparently originally African-American vernacular, from common Jewish masc. proper name Hymie, a pet form of Hyman, from Hebrew, literally "life" (the masc. counterpart of Eve).
hymn (n.)
"religious song," c. 1000, from Old French ymne and Old English ymen, both from Late Latin hymnus "song of praise," from Greek hymnos "festive song or ode in praise of gods or heroes" (also sometimes of mournful songs), used in Septuagint to translate several Hebrew words meaning "song praising God." Possibly a variant of hymenaios "wedding song," from Hymen, Greek god of marriage, or, as per Watkins, from a PIE root *sam- "to sing" (source also of Hittite išhamai "he sings," Sanskrit saman- "hymn, song"). Evidence for the silent -n- dates from at least 1530.
hymnal (n.)
c. 1500, imnale, himnale, "hymn-book," from Medieval Latin hymnale (n.), from ymnus, from Latin hymnus "song of praise" (see hymn). As an adjective, "of or pertaining to hymns," attested from 1640s.
Hymnal measure (a quatrain, usually iambic, alternately rhymed) is so called for being the preferred verse form for English hymns (such as "Amazing Grace"). It has been popular in English secular poetry as well, "though it almost always suggests the hymn, directly or ironically" [Miller Williams, "Patterns of Poetry," 1986].
hymnic (adj.)
hymnist (n.)
hyoid (adj.)
"having the form of the Greek capital letter upsilon" (ϒ), 1811, from French hyoïde (16c.), from Modern Latin hyoides, from Greek hyoeides "shaped like the letter U," from hu "letter U" (in later Greek called upsilon) + -oeidēs "like" (see -oid).
hype (n.)
"excessive or misleading publicity or advertising," 1967, American English (the verb is attested from 1937), probably in part a back-formation of hyperbole, but also from underworld slang verb hype "to swindle by overcharging or short-changing" (1926), itself a back-formation from hyper "short-change con man" (1914), from the prefix hyper- meaning "over, to excess."
Also possibly influenced by drug addicts' slang hype, shortening of hypodermic needle (1913). Related: Hyped; hyping. In early 18c., hyp "morbid depression of the spirits" was colloquial for hypochondria (usually as the hyp or the hyps).
hyper (adj.)
1942 as a colloquial shortening of hyperactive.
hyper-
word-forming element meaning "over, above, beyond," and often implying "exceedingly, to excess," from Greek hyper (prep. and adv.) "over, beyond, overmuch, above measure," from PIE root *uper "over."
hyperactive (adj.)
1852, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + active.
hyperactivity (n.)
1852, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + activity.
hyperaesthesia (n.)
"exalted sensation," 1835, from Modern Latin (1783), from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + Greek aisthēsis "feeling" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive") + abstract noun ending -ia. Related: Hyperaesthetic.
hyperalgesia (n.)
"abnormal sensitivity to pain," 1854, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + ending probably based on analgesia. Related: Hyperalgesic.
hyperaphia (n.)
"excessive sensitivity to touch," 1837, from German hyperaphia (1820s), from Greek aphe "touch;" also see hyper-. Related: hyperaphic "having morbid sensitiveness to touch" (1888).
hyperbaric (adj.)
1930, from hyper- "over, beyond" + -baric, from Greek barys "heavy" (from PIE root *gwere- (1) "heavy") + -ic.
hyperbaton (n.)
"figure of speech by which what should have been first according to the natural and grammatical order is put last, especially for the sake of emphasis," 1570s, from Greek hyperbaton, literally "overstepping," from hyper "over" (see hyper-) + bainein "to go, walk, step," from PIE root *gwa- "to go, come." Classical grammarians distinguish as many as seven kinds of it: Anastrophe, hysteron proteron, hypallage, synchysis, tmesis, parenthesis, and hyperbaton, strictly so called.
hyperbole (n.)
"obvious exaggeration in rhetoric," early 15c., from Latin hyperbole, from Greek hyperbole "exaggeration, extravagance," literally "a throwing beyond," from hyper- "beyond" (see hyper-) + bole "a throwing, a casting, the stroke of a missile, bolt, beam," from bol-, nominative stem of ballein "to throw" (from PIE root *gwele- "to throw, reach"). Rhetorical sense is found in Aristotle and Isocrates. Greek had a verb, hyperballein, "to throw over or beyond."
hyperbolic (adj.)
1640s in rhetoric (iperbolical is from early 15c.), from Latin hyperbolic, from Greek hyperbolikos "extravagant," from hyperbole "extravagance," literally "a throwing beyond" (see hyperbole). Geometric sense is from 1670s, from hyperbola + -ic. Related: Hyperbolically.
hyperbola (n.)
curve formed by the intersection of a plane with a double cone, 1660s, from Latinized form of Greek hyperbole "extravagance," literally "a throwing beyond (others);" see hyperbole, which in English is the same word in its Greek garb. Perhaps so called because the inclination of the plane to the base of the cone exceeds that of the side of the cone.
hyperborean (adj.)
"of or from the extreme north of the Earth," 1590s, from Late Latin hyperboreanus (adj.), from Latin hyperboreus, from Greek hyperboreos "pertaining to the regions of the far north," from hyper "beyond" (see hyper-) + Boreas, name of the god of the North Wind (see boreal).
The Hyperboreans (Greek Hyperboreoi) were an imagined northern people believed by the ancients to be distinguished by piety and happiness; their land being "beyond" (hence, out of reach of) the North Wind, it was thought to be a blissful paradise. Middle English had iperborie "the far north of the Earth" (mid-15c.).
hypercritical (adj.)
c. 1600, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + critical. Related: Hypercritically.
hyperdrive (n.)
by 1951, an invented word used by science fiction writers to describe anything that can power a space craft faster than the speed of light, contra Einstein. From drive (n.) with the first element perhaps abstracted from hyperspace.
hyperextend (v.)
1863, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + extend. Related: Hyperextended; hyperextending; hyperextension.
hyperglycemia (n.)
1875, from hyper- "over" + glycemia "presence of sugar in the blood."
hyperinflation (n.)
1925 in the economic sense, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + inflation. Earlier as a medical term in treatment of lung diseases.
Hyperion
a Titan, son of Uranus and Gaea, later identified with Apollo, from Greek, literally "he who looks from above," from hyper "over, beyond" (see hyper-).
hyperkinetic (adj.)
1880, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + kinetic. Perhaps immediately from French hyperkinetic (1874). Related: Hyperkinesis (1869); hyperkinesia (1818).
hyperlink (n.)
by 1987, from hyper- + link (n.).
hypermnesia (n.)
"unusual power of memory," 1847, from hyper- "over, beyond, in excess" + -mnēsia "memory," probably based on amnesia, which is older.
hyperopia (n.)
"very acute vision," 1861, Modern Latin, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + Greek ōps "eye" (from PIE root *okw- "to see"), with abstract noun ending. Related: Hyperopic.
hyperplasia (n.)
1849, from Modern Latin hyperplasia, from hyper- "over, beyond" + -plasia "formation, growth, development." Related: Hyperplastic (adj.).
hyperpnea (n.)
"panting," 1860, from hyper- "over, beyond, in excess" + ending probably based on older apnea.
hypersensitive (adj.)
1827, a hybrid from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + sensitive. Related: Hypersensitivity; hypersensitiveness.
hypersomnia (n.)
"excessive sleeping or morbid sleepiness," 1863; see hyper- + ending from insomnia. Related: Hypersomniac.
hyperspace (n.)
1866, in geometry, "imaginary space of more than three dimensions," from hyper- "over, above, beyond" + space (n.). A hybrid; correctly formed it would be superspace.
hypertension (n.)
also hyper-tension, 1863, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + tension. Originally in medical use; of emotions or nerves, from 1936.
hypertext (n.)
1969, from hyper- "over, above" + text (n.).
hyperthermia (n.)
1878, medical Latin, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + Greek therme "heat" (see thermal) + abstract noun ending -ia.
hyperthyroidism (n.)
1895, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + thyroid + -ism.
hypertonic (adj.)
"with excessive tension or tone," 1809, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + tonic. Related: Hypertonia; hypertonicity.
hypertrophy (n.)
"excessive growth," 1821, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + -trophy "nourishment." Related: Hypertrophic.
hyperventilation (n.)
1877, "method of treating certain diseases (especially tuberculosis) by exposing them to drafts of air," from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + ventilation. From 1907 as "extremely rapid deep breathing, short for hyperventilation of the lungs (1902).
hyperventilate (v.)
"breathe deeply and rapidly," 1931, from hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + ventilate in a medical sense. Perhaps a back-formation from ventilation. Earlier in a transitive sense, "to ventilate thoroughly" (1920 of lungs, 1906 of rooms). Related: Hyperventilated; hyperventilating.
hypervigilance (n.)
1917, from French (1907); see hyper- "over, exceedingly, to excess" + vigilance. Related: Hypervigilant.
hypha (n.)
structural element of fungi, 1866, from Modern Latin plural hyphae (1810), from Greek hyphē (singular) "web," probably a back-formation from hyphainō "to weave, warp, devise, produce," from PIE root *(h)uebh- "to weave" (see weave (v.1)). Related: hyphal.
hyphenation (n.)
1881, from hyphen + noun ending -ation. Hyphenization is attested from 1851.
hyphen (n.)
"short dash used to connect two words or separate one," 1620s, from Late Latin hyphen, from Greek hyphen "mark joining two syllables or words," probably indicating how they were to be said or sung. This was a noun use of an adverb meaning "together, in one," literally "under one," from hypo "under" (from PIE root *upo "under") + hen, neuter of heis "one," from PIE root *sem- (1) "one; as one, together with."
hyphenate (v.)
1881, from hyphen + -ate (2). The earlier verb was simply hyphen (1814). Related: Hyphenated; hyphenating. Hyphenated American "immigrant citizen perceived as having divided loyalties" is attested from 1889.
hypnagogic (adj.)
"leading to sleep, inducing sleep," 1868, from French hypnagogique, from Greek hypnos "sleep" (see somnolence) + agōgos "leading" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move"). Etymologically, "inducing sleep," but used mostly with a sense "pertaining to the state of consciousness when falling asleep." Related: Hypnagogically.
hypno-
word-forming element meaning "sleep," from Greek hypnos "sleep," from PIE *supno-, suffixed form of root *swep- "to sleep."
hypnobate (n.)
"sleep-walker," 1890, from French hypnobate, from Greek hypnos "sleep" (from PIE root *swep- "to sleep") + batos, verbal adjective of bainein "to go, walk, step" (from PIE root *gwa- "to go, come"). Related: Hypnobatia.
hypnopedia (n.)
also hypnopaedia, "sleep-learning," 1932, in "Brave New World," from hypno- "sleep" + ending derived from Greek paideia "education," from pais (genitive paidos) "child" (see pedo-).
hypnophobia (n.)
1855, "dread of sleep; nightmare," from hypno- "sleep" -phobia "fear." Earlier in German. Related: Hypnophobic.
hypnopompic (adj.)
"pertaining to the state of consciousness when awaking from sleep," 1897, coined by English man of letters Frederic W. H. Myers (1843-1901) from hypno- "sleep" + second element from Greek pompe "sending away," from pempein "to send" (see pomp).
hypnosis (n.)
1850, "the coming on of sleep," coined (as an alternative to hypnotism) from hypno- "sleep" + -osis "condition." But the distinction was not sustained, and by 1876 hypnosis was being used of artificially induced conditions.
hypnotism (n.)
1843, short for neuro-hypnotism (1842), coined by Dr. James Braid of Manchester, England, from hypnotic + -ism. In the same work (1843) Braid coined the verb hypnotize.
hypnotic (adj.)
1620s, of drugs, "inducing sleep," from French hypnotique (16c.) "inclined to sleep, soporific," from Late Latin hypnoticus, from Greek hypnotikos "inclined to sleep, putting to sleep, sleepy," from hypnoun "put to sleep," from hypnos "sleep" (from PIE root *swep- "to sleep"). Modern sense of "pertaining to an induced trance" first recorded in English 1843, along with hypnotize, hypnotism, hypnotist, in the works of hypnotism pioneer Dr. James Braid. Related: Hypnotical; hypnotically.
hypnotize (v.)
1843 (Braid); see hypnotic + -ize. Related: Hypnotized; hypnotizing.
hypnotherapy (n.)
1897, from hypno- "sleep" + therapy. Related: Hypnotherapist.
hypnotise (v.)
alternative spelling of hypnotize; for suffix, see -ize. Related: Hypnotised; hypnotising.
hypnotist (n.)
1843 (Braid); see hypnotic + -ist.
hypo (n.)
1711, "depression of the spirits," short for hypochondria; 1904 as short for hypodermic needle.
hypo-
word-forming element meaning "under, beneath; less, less than" (in chemistry, indicating a lesser oxidation), from Greek hypo (prep. and adverb) "under, beneath; up from under; toward and under (i.e. into)," from PIE root *upo "under."
hypo-allergenic (adj.)
also hypoallergenic, 1950; see hypo- + allergen + -ic.
hypocaust (n.)
"arched fire chamber for heating rooms above via pipes," 1670s, from Late Latin hypocaustum, from Greek hypokauston, literally "heated from below," from hypo- "under; up from under" (see hypo-) + kauston, verbal adjective of kaiein "to burn" (see caustic).
hypochondria (n.)
"unfounded belief that one is sick," by 1816; a narrowing from the earlier sense "depression or melancholy without real cause" (1660s); from Middle English medical term ipocondrie "lateral regions of the upper abdomen" (late 14c.). This is from Late Latin hypochondria, from Greek hypokhondria (neuter plural of hypokhondrios), from hypo- "under" (see hypo-) + khondros "cartilage" (in this case, of the false ribs); see chondro-.
The sense "morbid melancholy" reflects the ancient belief that the viscera of the hypochondria (liver, gall bladder, spleen) were the seat of melancholy and the source of the vapors that caused such feelings. The attempt to put it on a scientific bases passes through hypochondriasis. Also see hype (n.). The poet Cowper is an oft-cited example in late 18c. literature. The focus of sense on the particular symptom "unfounded belief that one is sick" seems to begin 1790s with William Cullen, M.D., professor of physic in the University of Edinburgh, who made a specialty of the topic:
Though to Cullen the clinical definition of hypochondria also included physical symptoms and pains as well as these mental delusions. As the old medical beliefs faded, the word dropped from clinical use but remained in popular use for "groundless morbid fear for one's health." In the 1830s hypochondria could mean merely "morbid melancholy," also "apprehension of evil respecting health, without sufficient cause," and "upper abdomen."
hypochondriac (adj.)
1590s, "pertaining to the hypochondria," also "afflicted with melancholy," from French hypocondriaque (16c.), from Medieval Latin hypochondriacus, from Greek hypokhondriakos "pertaining to the upper abdomen, affected in the hypochondrium," from hypokhondria (see hypochondria). The noun is from 1630s as "melancholy person;" in the modern sense from 1866.
hypochondriasis (n.)
disease evidenced by lowness of spirits, sluggishness, indolence, loss of interest in amusements, a wish to be alone, etc., 1765, from hypochondria in its older sense of "melancholy without cause," treated here as a disorder of the body and given the medical ending -osis to denote "a state of disease." The definitions of hypochondria then expanded to include this sense and that has become the usual word for it.
hypocoristic (adj.)
"forming a diminutive of endearment," 1650s, hypocoristick, from Greek hypo- "under, beneath, less than." Related: Hypocoristical (c. 1600).