English
lethargic
Lethargic comes from Ancient Greek λήθαργος ‘forgetful, lethargic’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλήθαργοςlḗthargos‘forgetful, lethargic’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEληθαργικόςlēthargikós
- Englishearliest quotation 1960lethargic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλήθαργοςlḗthargos‘forgetful, lethargic’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEληθαργικόςlēthargikós
- Englishearliest quotation 1960lethargic
Earliest quotation: 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing: “[That cat] hasn't caught a mouse since he was…”
Equivalent to lethargy + -ic
Ancient Greek λήθᾱργος ‘forgetful, lethargic’
Ancient Greek ληθᾱργῐ́ᾱ ‘drowsiness’
Late Latin lēthārgia ‘Lethargy, drowsiness’
Medieval Latin litargia
Middle English litargie
English lethargy
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- ‘to be concealed’
loom, latent, lament, lull, loll, laika, alastor, 16 more
through Ancient Greek λήθη ‘a forgetting, forgetfulness’
Today it means
adj Sluggish, slow.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek λήθαργος / lethargic