English
dysthymia
Dysthymia comes from Ancient Greek δυσθυμία ‘despondency, despair’, from θυμός ‘soul, spirit’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- ‘to smoke’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰewh₂-‘to smoke’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰuh₂mós‘smoke’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tʰūmós‘soul, spirit’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθυμόςthumós‘soul, spirit’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδυσθυμίαdusthumía‘despondency, despair’
- Englishearliest quotation 1989dysthymia
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰewh₂-‘to smoke’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰuh₂mós‘smoke’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tʰūmós‘soul, spirit’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθυμόςthumós‘soul, spirit’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδυσθυμίαdusthumía‘despondency, despair’
- Englishearliest quotation 1989dysthymia
Earliest quotation: 1989, James F. Masterson, Ralph Klein: “For diagnostic, research, and treatment reasons, a distinction should…”
Formed from dys + -thymia
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- ‘to smoke’
down, steam, dye, dew, dun, dune, duvet, dag, obfuscate, typhon, thymus, 26 more
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰuh₂mós ‘smoke’
Today it means
noun A tendency to be depressed, without hope.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- / dysthymia