Hypertension
/ˌhaɪ.pərˈten.ʃən/noun
Abnormally high blood pressure.
Did you know?Hypertension is a modern medical coinage built from Greek roots for “over” and “stretch/tension,” so the word itself describes blood vessels under excessive strain.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hyper-
“over, beyond, excessive”
Ancient Greek
Greek
teínein
“to stretch, extend”
Late Latin
Latin
tensio
“a stretching, tension”
19th Century
French/Medical Latin
hypertension
“abnormally increased tension or pressure in the body, especially in the arteries”
Modern English
English
hypertension
“abnormally high blood pressure”