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Origin and history of neurosis

neurosis(n.)

1776, "functional derangement arising from disorders of the nervous system (not caused by a lesion or injury)," coined by Scottish physician William Cullen (1710-1790) from Greek neuron "nerve" (see neuro-) + Modern Latin -osis "abnormal condition." Originally of epilepsy, hysteria, neuralgia, etc. Used in a general psychological sense from 1871, "change in the nerve cells of the brain resulting in symptoms of stress," but not radical loss of touch with reality (psychosis); clinical use in psychiatry dates from 1923.

Entries linking to neurosis

1775, "acting upon or stimulating the nerves," from Greek neuron "nerve" (see neuro-) + -otic, as in hypnotic. Also compare neurosis. Meaning "relating to the nervous system" is by 1873. Sense of "affected by or prone to neurosis" is by 1887. The noun meaning "a neurotic person" is from 1896; earlier it meant "a drug acting on the nerves" (1660s). Related: Neurotically.

before vowels neur-, word-forming element meaning "pertaining to a nerve or nerves or the nervous system," from Greek neura "nerve" (Galen), originally "sinew, bowstring," also neuron "sinew, string (of a bow or musical instrument); cord; penis;" in plural "strength, vigor," from PIE *(s)neuro- "tendon, sinew" (see nerve (n.)). In Greek, puppets were neurospastos, literally "drawn by strings."

word-forming element expressing state or condition, in medical terminology denoting "a state of disease," from Latin -osis and directly from Greek -osis, formed from the aorist of verbs ending in -o. It corresponds to Latin -atio.

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    Trends of neurosis

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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