Etymograph

English

rheumatism

Rheumatism comes from Latin rheumatismus ‘rheum’, and goes back to Proto-Hellenic *hréumə.

  1. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*hréuməreconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEῥεῦμα‘liquid discharge, rheum’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEῥευματισμόςrheumatismós‘humour, discharge, rheum’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErheumatismus‘rheum’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1763rheumatism

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*hréuməreconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEῥεῦμα‘liquid discharge, rheum’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEῥευματισμόςrheumatismós‘humour, discharge, rheum’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CErheumatismus‘rheum’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1763rheumatism

Earliest quotation: 1763, Samuel Foote: “And then as to your ſcurvys, and gouts, rheumatiſms,…”

first attested First attested 1601, from Latin rheumatismus (“rheum”), from Ancient Greek ῥευματισμός (rheumatismós, “humour, discharge, rheum”) from ῥευματίζομαι (rheumatízomai, “to suffer from a rheum”) from ῥεῦμα (rheûma, “stream, flow”) from ῥέω (rhéō, “to flow”) (as stated in the etymology)

The story

First attested 1601, from Latin rheumatismus (‘rheum’), from Ancient Greek ῥευματισμός (rheumatismós, “humour, discharge, rheum”) from ῥευματίζομαι (rheumatízomai, “to suffer from a rheum”) from ῥεῦμα (rheûma, “stream, flow”) from ῥέω (rhéō, “to flow”)

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *srew- ‘to flow’

stream, rhythm, maelstrom, hemorrhoid, rheology, 45 more

Today it means

noun Any disorder of the muscles, tendons, joints, bones, nerves, characterized by pain, discomfort and disability.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *hréumə / rheumatism

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