Balanite
/ˈbæl.ə.naɪt/noun
An inflammation of the glans penis, an older variant of balanitis.
Did you know?Ancient Greek βάλανος (balanos) meant both “acorn” and “glans,” because the two were considered visibly similar in shape.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
βάλανος (balanos)
“Acorn, or the glans of the penis”
Hellenistic Greek
Greek
βαλανῖτις (balanitis)
“Inflammation of the glans”
Late Latin
Latin
balanitis
“Inflammation of the glans”
19th Century
Medical English
balanite
“A variant term for inflammation of the glans”
Modern English
English
balanitis
“The standard modern medical term; balanite survives as an older or less common variant”