English
spastic
Spastic comes from Ancient Greek σπαστικός ‘drawing in’, and goes back to σπᾰ́ω ‘I draw, pull’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσπᾰ́ωspắō‘I draw, pull’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσπᾰ́σῐς‘drawing up, traction’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσπαστικόςspastikós‘drawing in’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspasticus
- Englishearliest quotation 1995spastic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσπᾰ́ωspắō‘I draw, pull’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσπᾰ́σῐς‘drawing up, traction’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEσπαστικόςspastikós‘drawing in’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspasticus
- Englishearliest quotation 1995spastic
Earliest quotation: 1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity: “‘Oi, Fleming, you spastic. Guess who I knobbed last…”
The story
French spastique and see also spasm.
Every English word from Ancient Greek σπᾰ́ω
Today it means
adj Of, relating to, or affected by spasm.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek σπᾰ́ω / spastic