Where does “mammogram” come from?
Mammogram comes from English -gram combined with Latin mamma, from Ancient Greek γράμμα (something written or drawn), derived from γράφω (to write or inscribe), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gerebh- (to scratch or carve).
mammogram (English): An X-ray picture of the breasts (mammaries), used to screen for breast cancer
Definitions
- An X-ray picture of the breasts (mammaries), used to screen for breast cancer
Ancestry of “mammogram”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -gram | Something written, drawn or otherwise recorded |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | γράμμα | that which is written, that which is drawn,... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | γράφω | to scratch, cut into; to draw, sketch, paint; to... |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | grəpʰō | to scratch, cut or carve into |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gerbʰ- | to carve |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ger- | to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind... |