Souci

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A concern or worry that preoccupies one's mind or thoughts
2. a state of anxiety relating to potential problems or issues
3. an emotional burden arising from matters that need attention or resolution

Etymology: Its oldest sense was more physical than its current one. Latin "sollicitus" combined "sollus," meaning whole, with "citus," set in motion, so it described something wholly stirred up. Old French turned this into "soucier," to trouble or worry, and the noun "souci" carried that unrest into French. English borrowed it for a nagging anxiety. The same Latin root gave English "solicit" and "solicitous." "Solicit" once meant to disturb or incite, and "solicitous" was used of someone anxious before it came to mean attentive. English kept the older French sense of disquiet. A separate French "souci" means marigold. That word comes from Old French "soussie," from Late Latin "solsequium," "sun-following," because the flowers turn toward the sun. The two words are unrelated despite their identical spelling.

Synonyms: worry, concern, anxiety, care, apprehension

Antonyms: calm, ease, peace, composure, confidence