diarrhea

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromδιάρροια“through-flowing”
2. Late Latin · derived fromdiarrhoea
3. Middle French · derived fromdiarrie
4. Middle English · inherited fromdiaria
5. English todaydiarrhea

From Middle English diaria, from Middle French diarrie (French diarrhée), from Late Latin diarrhoea, from Ancient Greek διάρροια (diárrhoia, “through-flowing”), from διά (diá, “through”) + ῥέω (rhéō, “flow”). By surface analysis, dia- + -rrhea. Spelling later altered to resemble the word's Latin and Greek roots. Displaced native Old English ūtsiht (literally “straining out”).

Words from the same roots