athymia
|a-thy-mi-a|
/əˈθɪmiə/
absence of emotion
Etymology
'athymia' originates from Greek, specifically from the prefix 'a-' meaning 'without' and 'thymos' meaning 'soul, spirit, emotion'.
'athymia' was formed in New (Neo-)Latin/medical coinage from Greek elements 'a-' + 'thymos' and entered modern medical English usage in discussions of affect and psychopathology during the 19th–20th centuries.
Initially constructed to denote a lack of 'thymos' (spirit or spiritedness), it has come to be used in clinical contexts to mean a lack or severe reduction of emotional responsiveness (affect).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a clinical term for the absence or severe reduction of emotional responsiveness or affect; emotional blunting or indifference.
The patient's athymia made psychotherapy challenging, as he showed little emotional response to topics that previously upset him.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/11 05:54