Now here’s a word with obscure origins and an even more mysterious existence. You’ll be hard-pressed to find it in a dictionary, and it isn’t mentioned or defined much on the web. But it refers to a feeling that many of us have had at some point in our lives. Read on to learn the meaning of strikhedonia.
Meaning: In its simplest, most modern definition, strikhedonia refers to the pleasure or feeling of saying, “To hell with it!”
Origin: The origin of this word is unknown, but we can unpack the root meanings of its constituent parts. The Word Detective offers a useful answer. Strik- seems to come from the verb “to strike”, which originally meant “to go, to proceed in a new direction”. The -hedonia comes from the Greek hedone, which means “pleasure”. So a full meaning could be “the pleasure of going somewhere new.”
Example: Overcome by strikhedonia, James finally decided to quit his job and pursue his dream.
Sometimes, we weigh up the pros and cons of doing something, and we can put it off for a long time. The reasons for not taking action are all situation- and individual-dependent, but we’ve all had that moment when we’ve stood there and went, “You know what? To hell with it. I’m doing it!”
I had that moment when I decided to self-publish Space Trip in 2022. It’s a funny book that gave me laughter and levity during a dark time in my life. I wanted to share it with others so they could escape their worlds and laugh with me.
—Photo by Lubo Minar on Unsplash.