Neuralgia
/ˌnjʊəˈrældʒiə/noun
Severe, often stabbing pain along the course of a nerve.
Did you know?Neuralgia was coined in modern medical Latin from Greek roots, and the same ancient word family behind it also gave English the idea of a “nerve” as both anatomy and courage.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
neûron
“a sinew, tendon, cord, or nerve”
Ancient Greek
Greek
álgos
“pain, distress”
Late 18th Century
Medical Latin
neuralgia
“pain in a nerve”
19th Century
English
neuralgia
“nerve pain, especially sharp or shooting pain”
Modern English
English
neuralgia
“severe pain along a nerve”