Caecum
/ˈsiːkəm/noun
The pouch at the beginning of the large intestine, connecting the ileum to the colon.
Did you know?The caecum’s name comes from Latin caecus, and the same root also gave English words tied to blindness and concealment, making this an ancient anatomical label for a “blind” passage.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
caecum
“the blind or closed-off part of the gut”
Classical Latin
Latin
caecus
“blind; dark; hidden”
Late Latin
Latin
caecum intestinum
“the blind intestine”
Middle English
English
cecum
“the blind gut”
Modern English
English
caecum
“the pouch at the beginning of the large intestine”