Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hydrocephalus” come from?

Hydrocephalus derives from Ancient Greek ὑδροκέφαλον, combining κεφαλή meaning head with a root from Proto-Indo-European wed- meaning water.

hydrocephalus (English): A usually congenital condition in which an...

Definitions

  1. A usually congenital condition in which an...

Ancestry of “hydrocephalus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekὑδροκέφαλονhydrocephalus, water on the brain
2Ancient Greekκεφαλήhead; a person's life; the top-most part
3LatinTaxusyew
4Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
5Spanish-scopio-scope
6Latin-scopium—
7Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
8Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
9Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think
10Proto-Hellenicsképťomaito look at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
12Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

Words derived from “hydrocephalus”

  • hydrocephalous
  • hydrocephaloid
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →