Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “encephalectomy” come from?

encephalectomy (English) comes from English encephal-, from Ancient Greek ἐγκέφαλος, from Ancient Greek κεφαλή, from Latin Taxus, from Ancient Greek εἶδος, from Spanish -scopio, from Latin -scopium, from Ancient Greek σκοπέω — to see, to look, to observe.

encephalectomy (English): Removal of the brain

Definitions

  1. Removal of the brain

Ancestry of “encephalectomy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishencephal-Alternative form of encephalo-
2Ancient Greekἐγκέφαλοςinside the head; brain; heart of the date palm
3Ancient Greekκεφαλήhead; a person's life; the top-most part
4LatinTaxusyew
5Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
6Spanish-scopio-scope
7Latin-scopium—
8Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
9Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
10Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think
11Proto-Hellenicsképťomaito look at
12Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
13Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →