Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pancreas” come from?

Pancreas comes from Latin pancreas, from Ancient Greek πάγκρεας, combining κρέας meaning flesh with a root from Proto-Indo-European peh₂-.

pancreas (English): A gland near the stomach which secretes a fluid...

Definitions

  1. A gland near the stomach which secretes a fluid...

Ancestry of “pancreas”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpancreas—
2Ancient Greekπάγκρεαςpancreas, sweetbread
3Ancient Greekπᾶνneuter nominative singular of πᾶς; neuter...
4Ancient Greekὀπτικόςof or relating to seeing, sight or vision: optic,...
5Ancient Greekὄψιςview
6Ancient Greekὄψvoice; word; eye, face
7Proto-Hellenicwókʷs—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwekʷ-to speak, to sound out

Words derived from “pancreas”

  • pancreatitis
  • pancreatectomy
  • pancreatoduodenectomy
  • hepatopancreas
  • peripancreatitis
  • splenopancreas
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wekʷ- →