theetymologyofmedicine

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Nausea

Medical definition: a feeling of sickness with an inclination to vomit.

History: Nausea was first described by the Greeks dating around 800BC. It was derived from Greek words for symptoms of sea sickness due to sea-faring culture at the time. Nausea has also been described by the Chinese and the Egyptians. All of the definitions used had the common idea that nause was due to “body movements causes by waves” Whether a person was in a boat or cart.

Etymology: Nausea ultimately comes from ancient Greece in with naus meaning ship and then becoming nausia. The word morphed into Latin- nausea meaning seasickness (See visual below)

Greek Greek Latin

Naus-------- Nausia ------------------Nausea

(Ship)

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Disease

Medical definition: Disease is any harmful deviation from the normal structural or functional state of an organism, generally associated with certain signs and symptoms and differing in nature from physical injury

History and Etymology: The first known use of disease dates back to the 14th century and the past definition was "lack of ease" connecting it to not feeling well and it wasnt until the 16th century that disease was used to refer to a case of illness. The word disease comes from old french "Des+aise" meaning lack of ease (See visual below)

Old French

Des

Old French -------- Old French-----------Middle English

Aise Desaise Disease

(ease) (Lack of ease) (Lack of ease)

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Angina

Medical Definition: Angina is chest pain or discomfort caused when your heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen-rich blood. It may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest.

History: Angina was first described in 1772 by an English physician named; William Heberden in twenty patients who suffered from "a painful and most disagreeable sensation in the breast, which seems as if it would extinguish life, if it were to increase or to continue."

Etymology: The word angina comes from the Latin verb angere meaning "to choke or throttle". Angina is now considered to be the same as angina pectoris, a reference to the Latin pectus, "chest". Latin angina "infection of the throat", from Greek ankhone "a strangling. (See Visual Below)

Greek Latin (Mid 16th Century)

Ankhonē--------Angina------------- Angina

(Strangling) (Quinsy)

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Paraplegic

Medical Definition: partial or complete paralysis of the lower half of the body with involvement of both legs that is usually due to injury or disease of the spinal cord in the thoracic or lumbar region

History and Etymology: Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The first use of this word dates back to the mid 17th century, coming from modern latin, from the greek term paraplehia, from paraplessein ‘ Strike at the side’, from para ‘beside’ + Plessein ‘to strike’. (See visual below)

Greek

para

(Beside) Greek. Greek Modern Latin

Greek--------- Paraplēssein------- Paraplēgia --------- Paraplegia

Plēssein (Strike at the side)

(to strike)

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Cancer

Medical Definition: Cancer begins when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.

History and Etymology: The word cancer comes from the Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 BC), who is considered the “Father of Medicine.” Hippocrates used the terms carcinos and carcinoma to describe non-ulcer forming and ulcer-forming tumours. In Greek, these words refer to a crab. The Roman physician, Celsus (28-50 BC), later translated the Greek term into cancer, the Latin word for crab. (See Visual Below)

Latin

Cancer

Carb or creeping Ulcer ------ Cancer

Greek

Karkinos

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Anesthesia

Medical Definition: is a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for medical purposes. It may include some or all of analgesia (relief from or prevention of pain), paralysis (muscle relaxation), amnesia (loss of memory), and unconsciousness.

History and Etymology: The word “Anesthesia” is a Greek derivation and signifies loss of sensation. On October 16th, 1846 was the first successful ether of anesthesia. The word anesthesia was first known to be used as early as 1721 with a meaning of “loss of feeling” from medical Latin. (See visual below)

Greek

An

Meaning

(Without) Greek Moden Latin

Anaisthesia --------------------------- Anethesia

Greek

Aistesia

Meaning

Sensation

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Diabetes

Medical Definition: Diabetes is the condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies.

History: The first known use of Diabetes dates back to 1552 BC- Written on a 3rd dynasty Egyptian Papyrus, and Physician Hesy-Ra mentions frequent urination as a symptom. Diabetes received its name from a Greek Physician, Aretaeua of Cappadocia, after the word dia-bainein which means “to siphon”. 

Etymology: Middle English diabet, diabete,  from Late Latin diabētēs, borrowed from Greek diabḗtēs, from diabē-, of diabaínein "to stride, walk or stand with legs apart, step across, cross over (See visual below)

     Greek              Greek            Latin  Diabainein.       Diabetes   ------------------   Diabetes    Meaning          Meaning

 Go through         Siphon

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Glaucoma

Medical Definition: Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve. This condition is often caused by an abnormally high pressure in the eye(s) 

History of the word: Glaucoma is from Ancient Greek glaukos (See origin visual below), which means "shimmering".  The first use of the word is said to used as early as 1587 but did not become commonly used until after 1850, when the development of the ophthalmoscope allowed people to see the optic nerve damage. The word Glaucoma had controversy around it for sometime because Ancient Greek physicians were following Hippocratic rules and preferred to use the terms “Hypochysis” and “Hypochyma” for the same disease. Glaucoma did not fulfill strict medical criteria and had a long history connecting it to superstition. 

Origin: 

          Greek:                        Greek                  Latin          Glaukos                      Glaukōma            Glaucoma     Meaning Blueish green                   Blueish Gray 

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Pancreas

Medical Definition: The pancreas is a long, flat gland that sits tucked behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. The pancreas creates enzymes that help with digestion and hormones that help regulate the way your body processes sugar (glucose)

History: The first known use was by Herophilus of Chaledon in 300 BC. The word pancreas was not spelt the way we've always known, when it was first discovered it was spelt pankreas. The literal definition of pankreas comes from two Greek words: Pan- which means all and kreas- which means flesh.(see visual below) The spelling of the word did not change to modern latin until the late 16th century. 

Greek    Pan                (all)                 Greek         Modern Latin Greek----------Pankreas----------------------- Pancreas     Kreas    (Flesh) 

[theetymologyofmedicine]

Diaphoresis

Medical Definition: Used to describe excessive, abnormal sweating in relation to your environment and activity level. 

History: The first known use of Diaphoresis dates back to the year 1681 by early Greek physicians, the word Diaphoresis wasn't always spelt that way, the first known spelling was Diaphorēin. The literal meaning of the word comes from two Greek words: Dia- which means through and Phroein- which means carry (see visual below). This word obtained its medical definition in the 17th century. 

Greek       Dia    (Through)               Greek             Late Latin  Greek         --------  Diaphroein -------------------  Diaphoresis                 Phroein          (carry off, sweat out)            (Late 17th century)      (carry)