The Origin of the Word Alcoholism

The word "alcoholism" is relatively modern in origin and is a compound formed from "alcohol" and the suffix "-ism."

Breakdown of the Origin:

1. Alcohol:

   • Derived from the Arabic word al-kuḥl (الكحل), which originally referred to a fine powder used as eyeliner (antimony sulfide).

   • Over time, in medieval alchemy, it came to refer to any distilled substance or "spirit."

   • Eventually, by the 16th–17th century, "alcohol" in European languages began to mean the intoxicating element in fermented liquors.

2. -ism:

   • A suffix of Greek origin used in English to denote a practice, condition, or system, often implying a pathological or habitual state when used in medical contexts (e.g., "alcoholism," "autism").

First Use:

• The term "alcoholism" was first coined in the mid-19th century, around 1849, by Swedish physician Magnus Huss.

• He used it in a medical context to describe the chronic, pathological effects of alcohol consumption, making it one of the earliest clinical attempts to frame heavy drinking as a disease rather than just a moral failing.

Summary:

• "Alcoholism" = alcohol (intoxicant) + -ism (disease/condition suffix).

• Coined in 1849 by Magnus Huss, it marked a turning point in viewing alcohol abuse as a medical condition rather than purely a moral or social issue.

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