cachexia

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromκαχεξία
2. French · derived fromcachexie
3. Late Latin · derived fromcachexia
4. English todaycachexia

From Late Latin cachexia or French cachexie, from Ancient Greek καχεξία (kakhexía), from κακός (kakós, “bad; injurious”) + ἕξῐς (héxĭs, “act of having; habit or state of body”) (ultimately from ἔχω (ékhō, “to have”)) + -ῐᾰ (-ĭă, suffix added to adjectives to form abstract nouns).

First known use, by meaning

• from mid 16th c. A systemic wasting of muscle tissue, with or without loss of fat mass, that accompanies a chronic disease.