English
nausea
Nausea comes from Ancient Greek ναυσία ‘sea-sickness’, from ναῦς ‘ship’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- ‘to swim’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)neh₂-‘to swim’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEναῦςnaûs‘ship’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEναυσίαnausía‘sea-sickness’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnausea
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)neh₂-‘to swim’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEναῦςnaûs‘ship’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEναυσίαnausía‘sea-sickness’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnausea
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- ‘to swim’
nurse, naval, navigation, insulin, nutrient, navigate, nurture, navigator, insular, nutritious, nourish, navigable, nao, insula, nau, 22 more
through Ancient Greek ναῦς ‘ship’
nautical, aeronautics, nautilus, astronautics, 3 more
through Ancient Greek ναυσία ‘sea-sickness’
Today it means
noun A feeling of illness or discomfort in the digestive system, usually characterized by a strong urge to vomit.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- / nausea