early 15c., "vomiting," from Latin nausea "seasickness," from Ionic Greek nausia (Attic nautia) "seasickness, nausea, disgust," literally "ship-sickness," from naus "ship" (from PIE root *nau- "boat"). Despite its etymology, the word in English seems never to have been restricted to seasickness. The 16c. canting slang had nase, or nasy "hopelessly drunk."