Etymology Map
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Therapy

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means treatment intended to heal a disorder

Where does the word "therapy" come from? It comes from Greek therapeia, passing through Modern Latin before entering English (1840s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
therapeia
Greek · ancient
"care, healing"
service, care, healing, from 'therapeuein', to attend or treat
2
Stage 2 of 3
therapia
Modern Latin · 1600s
"treatment"
a medical term for treatment
3
Stage 3 of 3
therapy
English · 1840s
"treatment"
its everyday sense of talking treatment, short for 'psychotherapy', spread in the 1900s
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Read the full story

Therapy’s story begins in Greek: therapeia meant “care, healing.” Service, care, healing, from 'therapeuein', to attend or treat. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Modern Latin as therapia. A medical term for treatment. It reached English by 1840s as therapy. Its everyday sense of talking treatment, short for 'psychotherapy', spread in the 1900s. Today, therapy means treatment intended to heal a disorder.