palsy

palsy · noun, verb¹

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromπαράλυσις“palsy”
2. Latin · derived fromparalysis
3. Anglo-Norman · derived fromparalisie
4. Middle English · inherited frompalesie
5. English todaypalsy

From Middle English palesie, from Anglo-Norman paralisie, parleisie et al., from Latin paralysis, from Ancient Greek παράλυσις (parálusis, “palsy”), from παραλύω (paralúō, “to disable on one side”), from παρα- (para-, “beside”) + λύω (lúō, “loosen”). Doublet of paralysis.

palsy · adjective, noun²

From pal + -sy.

Words from the same roots