hypochondria

Where does the word "hypochondria" come from? It comes from Greek hypokhondria, passing through Late Latin before entering English (1560s).

Hypochondria’s story begins in Greek: hypokhondria meant “upper abdomen.” 'under the cartilage', the upper abdomen, which physicians such as Galen saw as a seat of melancholy. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Late Latin as hypochondria. An anatomical and medical term. It reached English by 1560s as hypochondria. From melancholy of the abdomen it came to mean morbid worry about one's health in the 1800s. Today, hypochondria means abnormal anxiety about one's health.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient hypokhondria "upper abdomen", 'under the cartilage', the upper abdomen, which physicians such as Galen saw as a seat of melancholy.
2. Stage 2 · Late Latin · ancient hypochondria "upper abdomen", an anatomical and medical term.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1560s hypochondria "health anxiety", from melancholy of the abdomen it came to mean morbid worry about one's health in the 1800s.