nervous

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*snéh₁wr̥“sinew, tendon”
2. Latin · derived fromnervōsus“nervous; sinewy; energetic, vigorous”
3. Middle English · inherited fromnervous“composed of or incorporating nerves”
4. English todaynervous

From Middle English nervous (“composed of or incorporating nerves”), from Latin nervōsus (“nervous; sinewy; energetic, vigorous”), from nervus (“nerve; muscle; sinew, tendon; (figuratively) energy, power; nerve; force, strength, vigour”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *snéh₁wr̥ (“sinew, tendon”)) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of, prone to’ forming adjectives from nouns). The English word is analysable as nerve + -ous.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 14th–18th c. Full of sinews.
• 15th–19th c. Having strong or prominent sinews; sinewy, muscular.
• 17th–19th c. Of a piece of writing, literary style etc.: forceful, powerful.
• from 14th c. Supplied with nerves; innervated.
• from 15th c. Affecting or involving the nerves or nervous system.
• 17th–18th c. Nervose.
• from 18th c. Easily agitated or alarmed; edgy, on edge.
• from 18th c. Apprehensive, anxious, hesitant, worried.