English
hedonism
Hedonism comes from Ancient Greek ἡδονή ‘pleasure’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *sweh₂d- ‘sweet’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sweh₂d-‘sweet’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἡδονήhēdonḗ‘pleasure’
- Englishearliest quotation 2020hedonism
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sweh₂d-‘sweet’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἡδονήhēdonḗ‘pleasure’
- Englishearliest quotation 2020hedonism
Earliest quotation: 2020, Jeremy M. Davies, No Sleep till Auschwitz: “It began with his shrugging off of both family…”
first attested First attested in 1856 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1856.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sweh₂d- ‘sweet’
sweet, persuade, persuasive, persuasion, suave, assuage, 8 more
Today it means
noun The philosophical belief that prioritizes happiness, particularly sensual pleasure as the highest good in life.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sweh₂d- / hedonism