1590s, "pertaining to the hypochondria," also "afflicted with melancholy," from French hypocondriaque (16c.), from Medieval Latin hypochondriacus, from Greek hypokhondriakos "pertaining to the upper abdomen, affected in the hypochondrium," from hypokhondria (see hypochondria). The noun is from 1630s as "melancholy person;" in the modern sense from 1866.
