Arrhythmia
/eɪˈrɪð.mi.ə/noun
An abnormal heart rhythm.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek medical language, where a- meant “without” and rhythmia referred to measured flow or rhythm, so the term literally names a loss of bodily order.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sreu-
“to flow”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ῥυθμός (rhythmos)
“measured flow, rhythm, regular movement”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀρρυθμία (arrhythmia)
“lack of rhythm; irregularity”
Late Latin
Latin
arrhythmia
“irregularity, especially in bodily rhythm”
Modern English
English
arrhythmia
“abnormal or irregular heart rhythm”
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