Dysthymia
/dɪsˈθaɪ.mi.ə/noun
A chronic, low-grade depressive mood disorder.
Did you know?Its Greek roots combine dys- (“bad, hard”) with thymos (“spirit, soul, temper”), the same word that once meant the seat of emotion, courage, and inner fire.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
dys- + thymos
““bad spirit,” “bad temper,” or a troubled inner state”
Late Latin
Latin
dysthymia
“a term formed in medical/learned usage from Greek elements”
19th Century
Medical Latin/English
dysthymia
“a depressed or abnormal state of mind or temperament”
20th Century
English
dysthymia
“a chronic low mood, especially a persistent depressive disorder”
Explore more surprising origins