Hypochondria
Origin
From Medieval Latin hypochondria ("the morbid condition so called, supposed to have its seat in the upper part of the abdomen"), from New Latin hypochondrium (see hypochondrium for more).
Noun
hypochondria
(uncountable)- (medicine) A psychological disorder characterized by excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness.
- (anatomy) Plural of hypochondrium
Usage notes
The technical use of hypochondria is as a synonym for hypochondriasis, while the colloquial use approximates somatization disorder (a different somatoform disorder). In cases where ambiguity is undesirable and the context may not be sufficient to identify the intended sense, it may be preferable to avoid the term hypochondria, using one of these terms instead.