Advertisement

Origin and history of AIDS

AIDS(n.)

1982, acronym formed from acquired immune deficiency syndrome. AIDS cocktail attested by 1997, the thing itself said to have been in use from 1995.

also from 1982

Entries linking to AIDS

acquired(adj.)

c. 1600, "gained by effort," past-participle adjective from acquire. Of diseases, "occurring after birth, thus not dependent on heredity," 1842 (opposed to congenital); acquired immune deficiency is attested by 1980; acquired immune deficiency syndrome by 1982. Acquired taste is attested from 1734.

deficiency(n.)

1630s, "state of falling short, a lack or failing;" 1660s, "that in which a person or thing is deficient, inadequacy," from Late Latin deficientia, from deficient-, present-participle stem of deficere "to desert, revolt, fail," from de "down, away" (see de-) + combining form of facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). The older English word, now rare or obsolete, was deficience (mid-15c.).

Advertisement

More to explore

immune
mid-15c., "free, exempt" (from taxes, tithes, sin, etc.), from Latin immunis "exempt from public service, untaxed; unburdened, not tributary," literally "not paying a share," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + munis "performing services" (compare muni
syndrome
"a number of symptoms occurring together," 1540s, from medical Latin, from Greek syndrome "concurrence of symptoms, concourse of people," from syndromos "place where several roads meet," literally "a running together," from syn- "with" (see syn-) + dromos "a running, course" (see
digestive
Earlier in English as a noun, "a preparation or medicine which aids digestion" (late 14c.), from French, short for medecin...
succor
Meaning "one who aids or helps" is from c. 1300....
bile
"yellow bitter liquid secreted by the liver that aids in digestion," 1660s, from French bile (17c.)...
ribbon
colored ribbon loops on the lapel to declare support for some group perceived as suffering or oppressed began in 1991 with AIDS...
improve
late 15c., "to use to one's profit, to increase (income)," from Anglo-French emprouwer "to turn to profit" (late 13c.), from Old French en-, a causative prefix or from em-, + prou "profit," from Latin prode "advantageous" (see proud (adj.)). Spelling with -v- was rare before 17c.
attend
c. 1300, "be subject to" (obsolete); early 14c., "direct one's mind or energies" (archaic), from Old French atendre "to expect, wait for, pay attention" (12c., Modern French attendre) and directly from Latin attendere "give heed to," literally "to stretch toward," from ad "to, to
meliorate
1550s, "to make better, improve" (transitive), a back-formation from melioration or else from Late Latin melioratus, past participle of meliorare "improve," from Latin melior "better," used as comparative of bonus "good," but probably originally meaning "stronger," from PIE root
activity
c. 1400, "active or secular life," from Old French activité, from Medieval Latin activitatem (nominative activitas), a word in Scholastic philosophy, from Latin activus "active" (see active). The meaning "state of being active, briskness, liveliness" is recorded from 1520s; that

Share AIDS

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near AIDS
Advertisement