Hormesis
/hɔːrˈmiːsɪs/noun
A biological phenomenon in which a low dose of something harmful or stressful has a beneficial effect.
Did you know?The term is modern scientific Greek in form, but the idea behind it echoes a long history of thinking that controlled strain, not comfort, can trigger growth and resilience.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὁρμή (hormḗ)
“impulse, urge, violent motion, drive”
19th Century
German
Hormese
“a term coined in scientific usage for a beneficial effect from low-dose stimulation”
1930s
English
hormesis
“the phenomenon of beneficial effects from small doses of a stressor”
Modern English
English
hormesis
“a dose-response response in which low levels of a harmful agent can produce adaptive benefits”