migraine

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmaɪɡɹeɪn/; /ˈmiːɡɹeɪn/ (UK)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Old French migraine,^[2][3][4] a popular alteration of Late Latin hemicrania (“pain in one side of the head”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} itself from Ancient Greek ἡμικρανία (hēmikranía),^[2][3][4][5] from hēmi- “half” and kraníon “skull”.^[2][3][4][5] The spelling migraine was reinforced by a fresh borrowing from French in the 18th century.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A severe headache, especially on one side of the head.^[4][3]

Semantic evolution

The corrupted form megrim was common from the 15th century, with secondary senses “low spirits” and “whim”, but is now obsolete or archaic.^[4] The word is now used both for a single attack and for the recurring condition.^[5][1]

Timeline

• 1373 – migrane;^[3] RHWU gives 1325–75.^[6]
• before 1425 – mygrayne.^[3]
• 18th century – the French form migraine is borrowed again.^[3]
• 1777 – the OED's first quotation for migraine.^[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A severe, recurring headache, usually on one side of the head, often with nausea, vomiting and visual disturbances.
2. The neurological condition marked by such headaches.

Word family

• migrainous
• migrainoid
• migraineur

Related words

• megrim
• hemicrania
• cranium

References

1. [1] [2] Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. [1] [2] [3] [4] The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. [1] [2] [3] [4] Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. [1] [2] Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
7. [1] Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press