spasmodic etymology

Etymology

The word "spasmodic" comes from the Greek word "spasmos," meaning "spasm." It was first used in the 17th century to describe involuntary muscle contractions.

Meaning

Spasmodic means:

  • Characterized by sudden, involuntary muscle contractions
  • Intermittent or irregular
  • Tending to react with exaggerated or uncontrolled emotion

Origin

The word "spasmodic" has its roots in the Greek medical term "spasmos," which was used to describe a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle. This term was first used by Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, in the 5th century BCE. The term was later adopted into Latin as "spasmus" and then into English as "spasmodic" in the 17th century.

Examples

  • Spasmodic hiccups
  • Spasmodic coughing
  • Spasmodic laughter
  • Spasmodic pain

spasmodic relate terms

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    Etymology Late Latin spasmus from Greek spasmos from spaein to draw tight pull twi

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  • spasm

    Etymology Late Latin spasmus from Greek spasmos from spaein to draw tight pull twi

  • spasmodic

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  • spasmatic

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