paroxysm

Etymology

This word came into English from Late Middle English paroxism, paroxisme ("period of worsening of a disease, attack; sudden recurrent fever"), from Middle French paroxisme, paroxysme, and Old French peroxime ("period of worsening of a disease; bout of fever or illness") (modern French paroxysme), all going back to their common source, Late Latin paroxismus, paroxysmus ("a fit; onset of a disease; violent impulse or sadness"), from Ancient Greek πᾰροξῠσμός (păroxŭsmós, "exasperation, irritation; severe fit of a disease"), from πᾰροξῡ́νω (păroxū́nō, "to irritate, provoke") — itself from παρα- (para-, prefix meaning 'parallel to but separate from or going beyond, beside') plus ὀξῡ́νω (oxū́nō, "to provoke; to sharpen"), from ὀξῠ́ς (oxŭ́s, "sharp"), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ("sharp") — plus -μός (-mós, a suffix forming abstract nouns). Looked at by its surface form, it is para- plus oxy- plus -ism.