Alexithymic

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /əˌlɛksɪˈθaɪmɪk/

Definitions

1. Pertaining to a condition characterized by difficulty identifying and expressing emotions
2. Associated with having trouble recognizing and describing one's own feelings or emotions
3. Connected to a psychological state where emotional awareness and verbalization are impaired

Etymology: Alexithymic is a coinage from psychiatry, built entirely from Greek parts that never appeared together in ancient times. Its prefix "a-" means "without," and the rest combines "lexis," meaning "speech" or "word," with "thumos," the Greek word for the soul, heart or seat of feeling. Put together, the parts literally describe a person without words for their feelings. The "-ic" ending simply turns the resulting noun-like idea into an adjective, so the word describes someone, or a trait, that struggles to identify or put a name to emotions. Those who have the trait may feel physical sensations or moods without knowing what they are, which is why the term is used in clinical discussions of emotional awareness.