Hyperthermia
/ˌhaɪ.pərˈθɜːr.mi.ə/noun
An abnormally high body temperature caused by excessive heat production or inadequate heat loss.
Did you know?The word combines Greek hyper, meaning “over” or “beyond,” with thermē, “heat,” the same ancient root behind modern temperature vocabulary.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gwher-
“To heat or become warm”
Ancient Greek
Greek
hyper
“Over, beyond, excessively”
Ancient Greek
Greek
thermē
“Heat”
Ancient Greek
Greek
hyperthermos
“Excessively hot”
19th Century
Medical English
hyperthermia
“Abnormally high body temperature”
Modern English
English
hyperthermia
“A dangerous elevation of body temperature, distinct from fever in its usual cause”
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