ataraxia

noun

at·​a·​rax·​ia ˌa-tə-ˈrak-sē-ə 

variants or less commonly ataraxy

ˈa-t​ə-​ˌrak-​sē 

: 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

ataraxic

ˌa-tə-ˈrak-sik 

adjective

Examples of ataraxia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Ancient Greeks called it ataraxia, and the Epicureans said yes. —Stephen Miller, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2020

Word History

Etymology

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-.

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

ataraxia

noun

at·​a·​rax·​ia ˌat-ə-ˈrak-sē-ə 

variants or ataraxy

ˈat-ə-ˌrak-sē 

plural ataraxias or ataraxies

: calmness untroubled by mental or emotional disquiet