Cataleptic
/ˌkætəˈlɛptɪk/noun
Relating to catalepsy, a trance-like state marked by rigidity and reduced responsiveness.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Greek katalepsis, from kata- plus lambanein, meaning “to seize,” and its history is tied to the eerie medical idea of being physically “taken hold of.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GR
kataleptikos
“capable of seizing or understanding; later, pertaining to catalepsy”
Ancient Greek
GR
katalepsis
“a seizure or grasp; later, a cataleptic seizure”
Late Latin
LL
catalepticus
“cataleptic; pertaining to catalepsy”
Middle French
FR
cataleptique
“cataleptic”
Late 16th Century
EN
cataleptic
“relating to catalepsy or a cataleptic state”
Modern English
EN
cataleptic
“relating to catalepsy; affected by catalepsy”