Etymograph

English

atony

Atony comes from Ancient Greek ἀτονία ‘languor’, from τόνος ‘accent’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘stretch’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-1‘stretch’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tén-ye-ti1reconstructedinnovative ye-present of *ten-
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*téňňō1‘to stretch’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτείνω2teínō‘to stretch’
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτόνος2tónos‘accent’
  6. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄτονος2átonos‘languid’
  7. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀτονία2atonía‘languor’
  8. New Latinc. 1500–1900atonia2
  9. Englishtodayatony2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek τείνω
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English atony

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-Wiktionary, Ancient Greek τείνω‘stretch’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tén-ye-tiWiktionary, Ancient Greek τείνωreconstructedinnovative ye-present of *ten-
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*téňňōWiktionary, Ancient Greek τείνω‘to stretch’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτείνωWiktionary, English atonyteínō‘to stretch’
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτόνοςWiktionary, English atonytónos‘accent’
  6. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄτονοςWiktionary, English atonyátonos‘languid’
  7. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀτονίαWiktionary, English atonyatonía‘languor’
  8. New Latinc. 1500–1900atoniaWiktionary, English atony
  9. EnglishtodayatonyWiktionary, English atony

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘stretch’

continue, content, entertainment, tight, maintenance, obtain, tennis, contain, retain, tender, continuous, sustain, continent, tenant, detention, retention, tenor, rein, pertinent, pristine, continuum, detain, abstinence, tenacity, abstain, tendon, tenacious, tenet, sustenance, countenance, pertain, tenement, incontinence, retinue, tantra, tenable, maintainer, tendinitis, abstention, retentive, 66 more

through Ancient Greek τείνω ‘to stretch’

titanium, tetanus, hypotenuse, 8 more

through Ancient Greek τόνος ‘accent’

tune, tone, ton, tonic, 12 more

Today it means

noun Lack of muscle tone; flaccidity or atonia

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “atony”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Ancient Greek τείνω. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ten- / atony

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