'neuralgic' originates from New Latin 'neuralgia', formed from Greek elements 'neûron' and 'algos', where 'neûron' meant 'nerve' and 'algos' meant 'pain'.

'neuralgic' changed from the New Latin word 'neuralgia' (Greek 'neuralgia'), with the English adjectival suffix '-ic' added to form the modern English word 'neuralgic'.

Initially, it referred specifically to 'relating to neuralgia (nerve pain)', but it has also evolved to be used figuratively to mean 'critically sensitive or pivotal'.