ανήσυχος
Lemma: ανήσυχος
Translation: restless; anxious; worried; uneasy; agitated; troubled (adjective)
Etymology: From ancient Greek ἀνήσυχος, composed of the privative prefix ἀν- (an-) meaning 'not' or 'without' and ἥσυχος (hesychos) meaning 'quiet, calm, at rest'. The root ἥσυχος is related to the English word 'hesychasm' (a mystical tradition of contemplative prayer). The word literally means 'not at rest' or 'without quiet', making it a perfect semantic match for English 'restless'. This etymology helps explain why the word encompasses both physical restlessness and mental anxiety - it describes a state of being unable to find peace or stillness.
Example Usage
Είμαι ανήσυχος για τα παιδιά μου.
I am worried about my children.
Η μητέρα του είναι πάντα ανήσυχη.
His mother is always anxious.
Περνάω μια ανήσυχη νύχτα.
I'm having a restless night.
Η μητέρα είναι ανήσυχη για το παιδί της.
The mother is worried about her child.
Νιώθω ανήσυχος όταν δεν έχω νέα σου.
I feel anxious when I don't have news from you.
Είναι ανήσυχος χαρακτήρας από τη φύση του.
He is a restless character by nature.
Είμαι ανήσυχος για τις εξετάσεις.
I am anxious about the exams.
Το παιδί είναι πολύ ανήσυχο σήμερα.
The child is very restless today.
Με κάνει ανήσυχη η καθυστέρησή του.
His delay makes me worried.
Mnemonics
- Think 'an-easy-chaos' - when you're not at ease, there's chaos in your mind
- Remember the prefix 'an-' means 'not' - so 'not peaceful' = restless
Synonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Commonly used to describe both temporary states of worry (like before an exam) and more persistent personality traits. Often used by parents to describe restless children or by people discussing their emotional state. The word carries no stigma and is considered a normal human emotion.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: Both start with 'α' and might sound similar to beginners, but άσχημος means 'ugly' or 'bad' while ανήσυχος means 'restless' or 'anxious'
Confused word:
Αυτό το κτίριο είναι άσχημο.
This building is ugly.
Notes: The stress patterns are different: ανήσυχος (stress on second syllable) vs άσχημος (stress on first syllable)
Mnemonic: ανήσυχος has 'ησυχ' in the middle (related to quiet/calm), άσχημος has 'σχημ' (related to shape/form)