Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “polycystic” come from?

Polycystic derives from English cystic, from Middle French cystique, from Ancient Greek κύστις meaning bladder, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁-.

polycystic (English): Having many cysts

Definitions

  1. Having many cysts

Ancestry of “polycystic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishpoly-many; polymer
2Ancient Greekπολύςmany, a lot of; neuter πολύ or πολλά as...
3Ancient Greekπόροςa means of passage, passageway, way, opening;...
4Ancient GreekπείρωI pierce, run through; I cleave through
5Proto-Hellenic*péryō—

Words derived from “polycystic”

  • nonpolycystic
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *péryō →