accismus (English)

Where does "accismus" come from?

The English noun 'accismus', meaning the feigning of disinterest in something while actually desiring it, entered the language as an unadapted borrowing from Latin 'accismus'[1]. The Latin term ultimately derives from Ancient Greek 'akkismós', which meant 'prudery'[1].

Full etymology tree

• accismus (English), 'The feigning of disinterest in something while actually desiring it.'
  • borrowed accismus (Latin)
    • derived ἀκκισμός (akkismós) (Ancient Greek)

Sources

1. accismus (English) - Wiktionary

Updated September 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris