Dementia is an Ugly word

My first thought when the doctor said it.

 "Dang that's an ugly word!" 
 
Now-- I have a BA in English and I love words!  I really do look things up in the dictionary to get their correct spelling, meaning and character. Words have personality all their own. Some are beautiful, or lilting or funny.  But this word was ugly, like a swear word.  

It made me cringe.   "DEMENTIA".    I could not get over  how ugly that word was.  When I got home I looked it up in the dictionary-  sure enough I liked it even less.

Latin - "Without mind", "Madness"

de      -without

ment  -the root of mens "mind"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementia

Merriam Webster

Origin of DEMENTIA

Latin, from dement-, demens mad, from de- + ment-, mensmind — more at mind

First Known Use: 1806

Of course they had to bring up demons. ;(