Etymology

delirium

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Today it means: A temporary mental state with a sudden onset, usually reversible, including symptoms of confusion, inability to concentrate, disorientation, anxiety, and sometimes hallucinations. Causes can include dehydration, drug intoxication, and severe infection. Full definition →

Latin dēlīrium ← Proto-Italic *loizā ← Proto-Indo-European *lóyseh₂
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*leys-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*lóyseh₂
  8. Proto-Italic*loizā
  9. Latinlīra
  10. Latindēlīrō
  11. Latindēlīrium
  12. English todaydelirium

Borrowed from Latin dēlīrium (“derangement, madness”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.