'stir-crazy' originates from American slang, where 'stir' is a slang term for 'prison', and 'crazy' refers to a state of mental instability.

'stir' was used in the 19th century to refer to prison, and 'crazy' was added in the early 20th century to describe the mental state of prisoners.

Initially, it referred specifically to prisoners going insane due to confinement, but now it applies to anyone feeling restless due to being stuck in one place.