Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fistula” come from?

Fistula comes from Latin fistula, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰī-, a root meaning to split or cleave, which developed the sense of a pipe or tube.

fistula (English): An abnormal connection or passageway between...

Definitions

  1. An abnormal connection or passageway between...

Ancestry of “fistula”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfistulapipe, tube, especially a water pipe; hollow reed...
2Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeyd-to split
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰey-bee

Words derived from “fistula”

  • fistulous
  • fistulization
  • fistulotomy
  • fistular
  • fistulogram
  • fistulation
  • fistulize
  • fistuliform
  • trifistulary
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰey- →