Etymology Map
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Autism

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a developmental condition affecting communication, social interaction and patterns of behaviour

Where does the word "autism" come from? It comes from Greek autos, passing through German before entering English (1912).

1
Stage 1 of 3
autos
Greek · ancient
"self"
'self', the root of 'automatic' and 'autonomy'
2
Stage 2 of 3
Autismus
German · 1911
"self-absorption"
coined in Zurich by the psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler for patients' withdrawal into themselves
3
Stage 3 of 3
autism
English · 1912
"developmental condition"
Leo Kanner's 1943 paper in Baltimore described it as a condition of its own; Hans Asperger's work in Vienna followed in 1944
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Read the full story

Autism’s story begins in Greek: autos meant “self.” 'self', the root of 'automatic' and 'autonomy'. By 1911, the word had taken hold in German as Autismus. Coined in Zurich by the psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler for patients' withdrawal into themselves. It reached English by 1912 as autism. Leo Kanner's 1943 paper in Baltimore described it as a condition of its own; Hans Asperger's work in Vienna followed in 1944. Today, autism means a developmental condition affecting communication, social interaction and patterns of behaviour.