Athurma is a very ancient verbal derivative (via the ie. suffix -mn̥) of the verb athurō already present in Homer and later on characteristic of the high linguistic register of poetry, it seems to be native to the Ionian linguistic area (cf. Hesychius α 1621 Latte). The ancient Greek explanations considering athurma a verbal derivative of athrein are not confirmed today in the hypotheses of the historical linguistics. For athurma an Indo-European root *dhṷer(H)- which refers to the meaning of "to swirl, to move fast” is hypothesised. In contrast, athrein represents the zero degree of the root *dher- “to hold” (one’s eyes on someone else). The etymological link between athurma and the notion of impetuous movement is however also present in the etymological reconstructions of ancient grammarians who consider the noun as coming from thuō and hormāo, and both verbs refer to rush and excitement