morbid

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*mer-der.?
2. Latinmorbus
3. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
4. Latinmorbidus
5. English todaymorbid

From Latin morbidus (“diseased”), from morbus (“sickness”), itself from the root of morī (“to die”) or directly from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to rub, pound, wear away”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 1650s Of, relating to, or afflicted by disease.
• from 1770s Taking an interest in, or fixating on, unhealthy or unwholesome subjects such as death, decay, disease.