English
paralysis
Paralysis comes from Latin paralysis ‘paralysis, palsy’, from Ancient Greek παραλύω ‘to disable on one side’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- ‘to cut off, separate, free’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewh₁-‘to cut off, separate, free’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλύω‘loosen’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαραλύωparalúō‘to disable on one side’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαράλυσιςparálusis‘palsy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEparalysis‘paralysis, palsy’
- Englishearliest quotation 2023same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewh₁-‘to cut off, separate, free’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλύω‘loosen’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαραλύωparalúō‘to disable on one side’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαράλυσιςparálusis‘palsy’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEparalysis‘paralysis, palsy’
- Englishearliest quotation 2023same form
Earliest quotation: 2023, Marina Hyde, The tide is coming in fast on Rishi Sunak – and it’s full of: “Until then, the Sunak administration remains a study in…”
Equivalent to para- + -lysis
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- ‘to cut off, separate, free’
so, lose, solution, solve, lease, sol, soluble, resolute, loess, 33 more
through Ancient Greek λύω ‘loosen’
analysis, analyst, dialysis, 18 more
through Latin paralysis ‘paralysis, palsy’
Today it means
noun The complete loss of voluntary control of part of a living body, such as one or more limbs.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- / paralysis