Etymology Dictionary

ANXIOUS,  distressed, oppressed, much troubled.  (Lat.)   In Milton, P. L. viii. 185.   Sir T. More, Works, p. 197 e, has anxyete.   [The sb. was probably taken from F. anxieté, given by Cotgrave, and explained by 'anxietie;' but the adj. must have been taken directly from Latin, with the change of -us into -ous as in other cases, e.g. pious, amphibious, barbarous.]—Lat. anxius, anxious, distressed.—Lat. angere, to choke, strangle. + Gk. ἄγχειν, to strangle.—✔ANGH, nasalised form of ✔AGH, to choke, oppress; Curtius, i. 234; Fick, i. 9.   Der. anxious-ly, anxious-ness; also anxi-e-ty, from F. anxieté, Lat. acc. anxietatem.   From the same root we have anger, anguish, Lat. angina, awe, ugly, and even quinsy; see these words.