autism (English)

Where does "autism" come from?

The English noun 'autism' was borrowed from the German 'Autismus'[1]. The term was coined by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911[3], with usage dated to 1907[1]. It is formed from the Ancient Greek word 'αὐτός', meaning 'self', combined with the suffix '-ismós'[1][3]. The Greek element 'αὐτός' traces back through ancient forms related to Proto-Indo-European roots meaning 'again' or 'that'[2].

Open questions

• The exact derivation of the Ancient Greek word 'αὐτός' is debated, with proposals pointing to either a direct combination of reflexes or descent from Proto-Indo-European roots. [2] [4]

Full etymology tree

• autism (English), 'A pervasive neurological condition that is observable in early childhood and persists throughout the lifespan, characterised by atypical communication patterns (e.g., differences in body language or eye contact), delayed language development, and sensory processing sensitivities.'
  • borrowed Autismus (German), 'autism'
    • compound αὐτός (autós) (Ancient Greek), 'self'
      • inherited *h₂ew (Proto-Indo-European), 'away from, off'
    • compound -ισμός (-ismós) (Ancient Greek), 'Forms abstract nouns describing a condition or doctrine.'

Ancestors

• Autismus (German)
• αὐτός (Ancient Greek)

Descendants and derived words

• atypical autism (English)
• AuDHD (English)
• autismal (English)
• autism creature (English)
• autismland (English)
• autism spectrum (English)
• autism spectrum condition (English)
• autism spectrum disorder (English)
• autist (English)
• autistic (English)
• autistic (English)
• autistic spectrum (English)

Related words

• therapy (English)
• cognition (English)
• diagnosis (English)

Sources

1. autism (English) - Wiktionary
2. αὐτός (autós) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
3. Autismus (German) - Wiktionary
4. αὖ (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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