Hypothermia
/ˌhaɪ.pəˈθɜːr.mi.ə/noun
A dangerously low body temperature.
Did you know?Hypothermia is a modern medical term coined from Greek roots, with hypo- meaning “under” and thermē meaning “heat,” so the word literally frames the condition as a dangerous deficit of warmth.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hypo-
“under, below, deficient”
Ancient Greek
Greek
thermē
“heat, warmth”
19th Century
French/Medical Latin
hypothermie
“medical term for abnormally low body temperature”
Late 19th Century
English
hypothermia
“state of abnormally low body temperature”
Modern English
English
hypothermia
“dangerously low body temperature”
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