"acute inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, etc., a head-cold," 1630s, medical Latin, from Latinized form of Greek koryza "running at the nose," which is of uncertain etymology. It is traditionally compared to Germanic words for "mucus," such as Old English hrot, Old High German (h)roz "mucus" which are verbal nouns from Old English hrutan, Old High German hruzzan "to grumble, snore."