megrim

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The Word of the Day for May 14 is:

megrim   \MEE-grum\   noun 
     1 a : migraine b : vertigo, dizziness 
     2 a : fancy, whim *b plural : low spirits 

Example sentence:
     "It sounds like you've got a case of the megrims," said 
Aunt Carrie, "but I know just the thing to cheer you up." 

Did you know?
     "Megrim" and "migraine" share a meaning and an etymology. 
Latin and Greek speakers afflicted with a pain in one side of 
the head called their ailment "hemicrania" or "hemikrania," from 
the Greek terms "hemi-," meaning "half," plus "kranion," 
meaning "cranium." French-speaking sufferers used "migraine," a 
modification of "hemicrania," for the same condition. English 
speakers borrowed "migraine" from French -- twice. In the 14th 
century, they modified the French term to form "migreime," which 
in turn gave rise to "megrim." Later, in the 15th century, they 
returned to French and borrowed "migraine" again, this time 
retaining its French spelling. Nowadays, "megrim" and "migraine" 
can still be used interchangeably, but "megrim" is also used to 
refer to much less severe and painful departures from normal 
health. 

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.