Phrenia
/ˈfriːniə/noun
A rare or obsolete term for mental disorder or insanity, also used in medical compounds relating to the mind.
Did you know?Ancient Greek physicians used phrēn for both the diaphragm and the mind, possibly because they associated intense emotion with sensations in the chest or upper abdomen.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
phrēn (φρήν), phrenos (φρενός)
“The diaphragm or midriff; figuratively, the mind, understanding, or seat of emotion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
phrēnēsis (φρήνησις)
“Mental activity, understanding, or madness depending on context”
Late Antiquity
Greek
phrenitis (φρενῖτις)
“An inflammatory illness associated with delirium or mental disturbance”
Medieval Latin
Latin
phrenesis
“Frenzy, delirium, or madness”
19th Century
New Latin
-phrenia
“A medical combining form referring to the mind or mental disorders”
Modern English
English
phrenia
“A rare or obsolete noun for insanity, preserved more commonly in compounds such as schizophrenia”
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