Authoritative answer
Exact answer
Panic comes through French and Latin from Greek panikos, meaning of or for the god Pan, whose presence was associated with sudden fear.
Scope: Recorded English etymology and sense history; reviewed July 31, 2026.
Important boundary: The etymology identifies the language path; the Pan story is cultural context, not a medical explanation.
Evidence
Quick answer
A short etymology card for panic: origin, meaning history, memorable hook, and source-language context.
Source-first
Reviewed Sep 2026
Origin story
From Pan, the god associated with sudden wild fear in lonely places.
Why it sticks
A feeling named after a god who could make the landscape feel alive.
Shareable cardPanic: A feeling named after a god who could make the landscape feel alive.