Where does “tonsillectomy” come from?
Tonsillectomy comes from Ancient Greek -εκτομία (surgical removal) and ἐκτέμνω (to cut out), from τέμνω (to cut), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁eǵʰs (to cut or slit).
tonsillectomy (English): The surgical removal of the tonsils, especially...
Definitions
- The surgical removal of the tonsils, especially...
Ancestry of “tonsillectomy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ectomy | Excision of; Surgical removal of |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἐκτομή | a cutting out; a segment |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἐκτέμνω | to cut out; to castrate; to divide, zone |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | τέμνω | I cut, hew; I maim, wound; I butcher, sacrifice |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -né- | Forms mostly transitive imperfective verbs from... |