Hypoglycemia
/ˌhaɪ.poʊ.ɡlaɪˈsiː.mi.ə/noun
A condition of abnormally low blood sugar.
Did you know?Hypoglycemia is a modern medical term built from Greek roots meaning “under,” “sweet,” and “blood,” showing how ancient language still names the body’s hidden crises.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hypo-
“under, below, deficient”
Ancient Greek
Greek
glykys
“sweet”
Ancient Greek
Greek
haima
“blood”
19th Century
New Latin
hypoglycaemia
“a medical term for abnormally low sugar in the blood”
Modern English
English
hypoglycemia
“a condition of abnormally low blood sugar”
Explore more surprising origins