Arthroscope
/ˈɑːr.θrəˌskoʊp/noun
A medical instrument used to look inside a joint.
Did you know?Its second half comes from Greek skopein, “to look,” the same ancient root behind words like horoscope and microscope—so this is part of a family of “seeing” words that once carried a near-mystical sense of revelation.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
arthron
“joint”
Ancient Greek
Greek
skopein
“to look at, examine”
19th Century
French
arthroscope
“a coined scientific term built from Greek roots”
20th Century
English
arthroscope
“an instrument for viewing the inside of a joint”
Modern English
English
arthroscope
“a medical device used for minimally invasive inspection of joints”
Explore more surprising origins