nostalgia

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*nes-
2. Proto-Hellenic*nóstos
3. Ancient Greekνόστος (nóstos)
4. Proto-Indo-European*h₂leg-der.?
5. Ancient Greekἄλγος (álgos)
6. GermanHeimweh
7. New Latinnostalgia
8. English todaynostalgia

From New Latin nostalgia, coined by Johannes Hofer in 1688 from Ancient Greek νόστος (nóstos, “returning home”) + ἄλγος (álgos, “pain”), calquing German Heimweh. Ancient Greek *νοσταλγία (*nostalgía) is unattested. Transferred sense probably influenced by French nostalgie, especially in literature. Compare Italian nostalgia, Spanish nostalgia, Portuguese nostalgia and French nostalgie.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 18th c. A longing for home or familiar surroundings; homesickness.
• from 20th c. A bittersweet yearning for the things of the past.