Editing Entactogen (section)

===Etymology===
The term ''empathogen'', meaning "generating a state of [[empathy]]", was independently coined by [[Ralph Metzner]] in 1983 and [[David E. Nichols]] in 1984 as a term to denote a class of drugs that includes [[MDMA]] and other agents with similar effects.<ref name="Eisner1989" /><ref name="MetznerAdamson2001" /><ref name="Metzner1983" /> Subsequently, in 1986, Nichols rejected this initial terminology and adopted, instead, the term ''entactogen'', meaning "producing a touching within", to denote this class of drugs, asserting a concern with the potential for improper association of the term ''empathogen'' with negative connotations related to the Greek root πάθος ''páthos'' ("suffering; passion").<ref name="Nichols2022" /><ref name="Nichols1986">{{cite journal|last1=Nichols|first1=D.|title=Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens|journal=Journal of Psychoactive Drugs|date=1986|volume=18|issue=4|pages=305–13|doi=10.1080/02791072.1986.10472362|pmid=2880944}}</ref><ref name="NicholsHoffmanOberlender1986" /> Additionally, Nichols wanted to avoid any association with the term [[pathogenesis]].<ref name="Colman2015">{{Cite book|title=Dictionary of Psychology - Oxford Reference|language=en|doi=10.1093/acref/9780199657681.001.0001|year=2015|isbn=9780199657681|last1=Colman|first1=Andrew M.}}</ref>

Nichols also thought the original term was limiting, and did not cover other therapeutic uses for the drugs that go beyond instilling feelings of empathy.<ref name="NicholsYensenMetzner1993" /> The [[hybrid word]] ''entactogen'' is derived from the roots ''en'' ({{langx|el|within}}), ''tactus'' ({{langx|la|touch}}) and ''-gen'' ({{langx|el|produce}}).<ref name="Nichols1986" /> Entactogen is not becoming dominant in usage, and, despite their difference in connotation, they are essentially interchangeable, as they refer to precisely the same chemicals.

In 2024, an additional alternative term, ''connectogen'', was proposed and introduced by Kurt Stocker and [[Matthias Liechti]].<ref name="StockerLiechti2024">{{cite journal | vauthors = Stocker K, Liechti ME | title = Methylenedioxymethamphetamine is a connectogen with empathogenic, entactogenic, and still further connective properties: It is time to reconcile "the great entactogen-empathogen debate" | journal = J Psychopharmacol | volume = 38 | issue = 8 | pages = 685–689 | date = August 2024 | pmid = 39068642 | pmc = 11311894 | doi = 10.1177/02698811241265352 | url = }}</ref>