PANIC — The word PANIC comes from the ancient Greek panikós (πανικός), meaning “of Pan” or “belonging to Pan.” Pan was the Greek god associated with woods, fields, and shepherds. Its origin lies in mythology rather than medicine. Ancient Greeks attributed sudden, unexplained terror to Pan. Mysterious noises in lonely mountains or valleys supposedly signaled his presence and frightened travelers, herds, or crowds. The Greek expression “panikón deîma” meant fright associated with Pan: fear that struck suddenly, without an obvious source. The word reached English through French “panique”. English initially used it as an adjective around 1600, in expressions describing panic fear or terror. The Online Etymology Dictionary dates the noun to 1708, with the meaning of sudden terror spreading through a group. It records financial use by 1757 and the verb panic from 1827. The history gives the word a striking image: an unseen presence suddenly fills people with dread. That is its mythological background, rather than an explanation of what causes panic today.

Added October 11, 2026