Paroxysm (noun)
pa-roks-izm
A sudden attack or outburst of a particular emotion or activity.
Late Middle English from French paroxysme, via medieval Latin from Greek paroxusmos, from paroxunein ‘exasperate’, from para- ‘beyond’ + oxunein ‘sharpen’ (from oxus ‘sharp’).
Example sentences
“A paroxysm of coughing overtook his whole body.”
Favonian (adj) fav-oh-nee-un Of or relating to the west wind./ Mild or favorable; propitious. 1650–60; Latin Favōniānus. See Favonius, -an. foehn (more…)