Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
Why is it hypocondriac?
Why is is spelled hypocondriac not hypercondriac. Hypo is below or under and Hyper is above normal. I would figure hypercondriac because you are above what's real you just make it up and think your sick. I would think hyper because you get overly excited about something (not excited as in you just got a new puppy.) and hypo would be calm and not overly excited. I cant find any searches to explain.
2 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
from Late Latin hypochondria "the abdomen," from Greek hypochondria (neut. pl.), from hypo- "under" (see sub-) + chondros "cartilage" (of the breastbone). Reflecting ancient belief that the viscera of the hypochondria were the seat of melancholy.
Source(s): http://dictionary.reference.com/ - ?Lv 71 decade ago
As you stated, hypo refers to under, beneath or below. The word hypochondria is ancient Greek/Late Latin in origin and literally means, "the soft part of the body below the ribs," (hypo-below - chondra-breast bone.)
In the 17th and 18th centuries hypochondria was considered to be an actual disease of the stomach or digestive system (the area below the ribs.) At the same time, adjectives such as, hypo, hypt, were also used to describe a hypochondriac. Meaning, "affected with hypochondria was to be, morbidly depressed, or low-spirited," (down, melancholy, etc.)
