ataraxia

noun

at·a·rax·ia | \ ˌa-tə-ˈrak-sē-ə

variants: or less commonly ataraxy \ ˈa-tə-ˌrak-sē

Definition of ataraxia

: calmness untroubled by mental or emotional disquiet The highest goal of an Epicurean disciple was ataraxia—tranquility of mind.— Erich Segal Hermann Cohen contrasted the prophets' appreciation of the urgencies of history to the teachings of Stoicism enjoining ataraxia, the ideal of tranquillity to be attained by freeing oneself from emotional concerns and anxiety.— Paul Mendes-Flohr

History and Etymology for ataraxia

borrowed from Middle French & Greek; Middle French ataraxie, borrowed from Greek ataraxía, from atáraktos "calm, unexcited" (from a- a- entry 2 + taraktós, verbal adjective of tarássein, (Attic) taráttein "to stir up, disturb, agitate mentally or emotionally") + -ia -y entry 2; tarássein going back to Indo-European *dhr̥h₂gh-i̯é-, zero grade ablaut derivative of *dhreh₂gh- "be stirred up, become turbulent," whence also Old Church Slavic razdražǫ, razdražiti "to provoke, make angry," Lithuanian dérgiu, dérgti "to make dirty, besmirch, defame"

Note: Greek tarássein has an alternate present thrássein/thráttein, aorist infinitive thrâxai, formed perhaps from an accentual variant *dhŕ̥h₂gh-.

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