word
Greek
Hypochondriac
lit. โbelow the cartilageโ
Someone convinced they're seriously ill despite reassurance to the contrary.
Origin
The Greek root refers to the area below the rib cage, where ancient and medieval medicine located the seat of melancholic and anxious feelings. The word originally named any vague abdominal-region ailment; by the 18th century it had narrowed to a person's tendency to imagine illness.
Modern usage
Used casually for any frequent worrier about their health, and clinically (under newer names like 'health anxiety' or 'illness anxiety disorder'). 'Cyberchondriac' โ someone whose anxiety is fueled by Googling symptoms โ is a 21st-century variant.
Tags
anxiety
illness