- paroxysm
- "sudden attack, convulsion," 1577, from M.Fr. paroxysme (16c.), earlier paroxime (13c.), from M.L. paroxysmus "irritation, fit of a disease," from Gk. paroxysmos, from paroxynein "to irritate, goad," from para- "beyond" + oxynein "sharpen, goad," from oxys "sharp, pointed" (see acrid). Non-medical sense first attested 1604.