Angina
/ænˈdʒaɪnə/noun
A painful condition, especially severe chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart; also, inflammation and soreness in the throat.
Did you know?Angina comes from Latin *angina*, from Greek *ankhónē*, meaning a choking or strangling sensation, which is why the word originally carried the terrifying feeling of being squeezed shut.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂enk-
“to press tightly, choke”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀγχόνη (ankhónē)
“a strangling or choking”
Latin
Latin
angina
“a quinsy or choking inflammation of the throat”
Old French
Old French
angine
“sore throat; quinsy”
Modern English
English
angina
“painful chest constriction or throat inflammation”