Etymologically
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apathia

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [a.paˈtʰiː.a][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [a.paˈtiː.a][1]

Forms

apathīa f (genitive apathīae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀπάθεια (apátheia, “insensibility, freedom from emotion”).[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Seneca, whom he dates 4 BC–65 AD.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant insensibility, and as a Stoic virtue freedom from emotion, as in Gellius.[2][5][6]

Through French apathie it gave English apathy about 1600, first “freedom from suffering, passionless existence”.[3]

Timeline

  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it.[4]
  • c. 165 AD – Gellius uses it.[6][4]
  • c. 1600 – English apathy is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Insensibility; freedom from emotion, apathy.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.