English

hemispasm

From hemi- + spasm.

Formed from hemi- + spasm

Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one, whole’

Proto-Indo-European *sēmi ‘half’

English hemi-

Ancient Greek σπάω ‘to draw out, pull out’

Ancient Greek σπασμός ‘spasm, convulsion’

Latin spasmus ‘cramp, convulsion, spasm’

Old French spasme

Middle English spasme

English spasm

Today it means

noun A spasm that affects only one side of the body

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / hemispasm