apathy English · revision 1625

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈæ.pə.θi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|apathie]] and [[la|apathīa]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|ἀπάθεια|tr=apátheia|t=freedom from suffering, insensibility]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''apathḗs'' “without feeling”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''a-'' “without” and ''páthos'' “feeling, suffering”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Freedom from suffering or passion (1603),^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) a positive quality.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ For the Stoics ''apatheia'' was an ideal, freedom from emotion of any kind,^(RHWU)^(Etymonline) and the English word first had that admiring sense.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) By 1733 it had come to mean mental indolence or indifference to things that ought to move one,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) which is now the main sense.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1594 – first date given by Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1603 – freedom from suffering or passion.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1733 – indifference, lack of interest.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1744 – ''apathetic''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1881 – of markets, sluggishness.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Lack of interest or concern; [[indifference]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Lack of emotion or feeling.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # ''(Stoicism)'' Freedom from emotion of any kind.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[apathetic]]

+ * [[pathos]]

+ * [[sympathy]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House refers to ''indifference'' for a synonym discussion, and gives ''ardor'' and ''fervor'' as antonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}