nervous
/ˈnɜːvəs/ · adj
Meaning
- Of sinews and tendons.
- Full of sinews.
- Having strong or prominent sinews; sinewy, muscular.
- Of a piece of writing, literary style etc.: forceful, powerful.
- Of nerves.
- Supplied with nerves; innervated.
- Affecting or involving the nerves or nervous system.
- Nervose.
- Easily agitated or alarmed; edgy, on edge.
- Apprehensive, anxious, hesitant, worried.
Etymology / origin
From Middle English nervous (“composed of or incorporating nerves”), from Latin nervōsus (“nervous; sinewy; energetic, vigorous”), from nervus (“nerve; muscle; sinew, tendon; (figuratively) energy, power; nerve; force, strength, vigour”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *snéh₁wr̥ (“sinew, tendon”)) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of, prone to’ forming adjectives from nouns). The English word is analysable as nerve + -ous.
- *snéh₁wr̥(ine-pro)→
- nervōsus(la)→
- nervous(Middle English)→
- *(s)neh₁-(ine-pro)→
- nervous (English)
- Relations: root, inh, der, der
Related words
Descendant words
- nerfus(Welsh) (clq)
Sources
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