dysthymia
noun
dys·thy·mia dis-ˈthī-mē-ə 
: a mood disorder characterized by chronic mildly depressed or irritable mood often accompanied by other symptoms (such as eating and sleeping disturbances, fatigue, and poor self-esteem)
called also dysthymic disorder
dysthymic
dis-ˈthī-mik
adjective or noun 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web It is categorized as a mental illness, on the low end of the spectrum of manic depressive illness, with dysthymia — its depressive equivalent — at the other end of the spectrum. 
Gregg Martin, STAT, 31 Oct. 2021 Low grade depression or dysthymia can start to feel normal. Ashley Stahl, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2021 In the second, at the opposite end of things, are people who already have a clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder or a persistent version known as dysthymia. James Hamblin, The Atlantic, 22 May 2020 Another person may have low-grade depressive symptoms that last a really long time, otherwise known as dysthymia. Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 23 Apr. 2020 There are several different forms of depression (like dysthymia, postpartum depression, or seasonal affective disorder), but major depressive disorder is typically the form that most people are familiar with. D. Elizabeth, SELF, 24 Oct. 2018 Diagnoses like depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar disorder all benefit from CBT, too. Molly Burford, Allure, 16 Oct. 2019 Silverman explains that in the DSM-5, experts essentially collapsed two mood disorders—chronic major depressive disorder and dysthymia—into one: PDD. Claire Gillespie, SELF, 19 Nov. 2018 See More
Gregg Martin, STAT, 31 Oct. 2021 Low grade depression or dysthymia can start to feel normal. Ashley Stahl, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2021 In the second, at the opposite end of things, are people who already have a clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder or a persistent version known as dysthymia. James Hamblin, The Atlantic, 22 May 2020 Another person may have low-grade depressive symptoms that last a really long time, otherwise known as dysthymia. Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 23 Apr. 2020 There are several different forms of depression (like dysthymia, postpartum depression, or seasonal affective disorder), but major depressive disorder is typically the form that most people are familiar with. D. Elizabeth, SELF, 24 Oct. 2018 Diagnoses like depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar disorder all benefit from CBT, too. Molly Burford, Allure, 16 Oct. 2019 Silverman explains that in the DSM-5, experts essentially collapsed two mood disorders—chronic major depressive disorder and dysthymia—into one: PDD. Claire Gillespie, SELF, 19 Nov. 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
probably borrowed from German Dysthymie, borrowed from Greek dysthȳmía "despondency, despair," from dýsthȳmos "despondent, melancholy" (from dys- dys- + ¬-thȳmos, adjective derivative of thȳmós "spirit, mind, courage") + -ia -ia entry 1 — more at fume entry 1
First Known Use
1844, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
dysthymia
noun
dys·thy·mia dis-ˈthī-mē-ə
: a mood disorder characterized by chronic mildly depressed or irritable mood often accompanied by other symptoms (as eating and sleeping disturbances, fatigue, and poor self-esteem)
called also dysthymic disorder