Ataraxia

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ætəˈɹæksiə/

Definitions

1. A condition marked by an unperturbed state of mind that is devoid of emotional chaos or worry is referred to as tranquility
2. This term describes a mental state where one experiences peace and calmness free from inner conflict or anxiety
3. A mental condition characterized by serene calmness and an absence of emotional disturbance

Etymology: The Greek philosophers Epicurus and Pyrrho gave this word much of its meaning, though the word itself is older than their ideas. It is built from "a-", the Greek negative prefix meaning "not", and "tarássō", meaning "to trouble" or "to disturb", so the literal sense is something like "untroubledness." For Epicurean and Pyrrhonist thinkers, ataraxia was the goal of a good life: a state free from anxiety and mental disturbance, reached by understanding what really matters and what does not. Because the word is a straightforward negation of "trouble," its shape tells you its meaning directly, and English took it over from Greek in its philosophical sense. Ataraxy is a doublet of the word, a form that came into English by a separate route and kept a slightly different shape.

Synonyms: calmness, peace, serenity, tranquility, equanimity

Antonyms: anxiety, agitation, stress, turmoil, distress