Human Anatomy and Physiology
Ch 27 The Reproductive System
SAP5
Etymology
Rev. 03-05-13
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Etymology of vocabulary words, from http://www.etymonline.com
bulbourethral glands-- from L. bulbus "bulb, onion,"
cervix-- 1741, from L., lit. "the neck." Applied to various neck-like structures of the body, especially
that of the uterus
clitoris-- 1615, coined in Mod.L., from Gk. kleitoris, a diminutive, but the exact sense is uncertain.
Probably from Gk. kleiein "to sheathe," also "to shut," in reference to its being covered by the labia
minora... But many sources take kleitoris literally as Gk. "little hill."
corpora cavernosa--cave-like bodies
ductus (vas) deferens--from L. ductus "a leading”
epididymis-- Mod.L., lit. "that which is on the testicles," from Gk. epididymis, a word probably coined
by Gk. anatomist Herophilus (c.300 B.C.E.) from epi "on" + didymos "testicle,"
fallopian tube-- 1706, from Gabriello Fallopio (1523-62), It. anatomist who first described them
ovaries-- from L. ovum "egg,"
penis-- 1676, perhaps from Fr. pénis or directly from L. penis "penis," earlier "tail"
prostate-- 1646, from M.Fr. prostate, from M.L. prostata "the prostate," from Gk. prostates (aden)
"prostate (gland)," from prostates "one standing in front," from proistanai "set before," from pro"before" + histanai "cause to stand" from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). So called from its position
at the base of the bladder.
seminal vesicles-- 1398, "of seed or semen," from O.Fr. seminal (14c.), from L. seminalis, from semen
(gen. seminis) "seed"
sperm-- c.1386, probably from O.Fr. esperme, from L.L. sperma "seed, semen," from Gk. sperma
"seed,"
testes-- 1704, from L. testis "testicle," usually regarded as "witness," as in “little oath”
uterus-- 1615, from L. uterus "womb, belly" (pl. uteri), from PIE base *udero- "abdomen, womb,
stomach"
vagina-- 1682, from L. vagina "sheath, scabbard" A modern medical word; the Latin word was not used
in an anatomical sense in classical times