Cath
/kæθ/noun
An informal term, chiefly used in medical contexts, for a catheter or catheterization procedure.
Did you know?Cath is a modern clipping of catheter, whose Greek ancestor described an instrument or action that sends something down, reflecting early medical techniques involving inserted tubes.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
καθετήρ (kathetḗr)
“A catheter; an instrument sent or placed downward”
Ancient Greek
Greek
καθίημι (kathíēmi)
“To send down or let down, formed from κατά (down) and ἵημι (send)”
Late Antiquity
Latin
catheter
“A catheter or probe adopted from Greek medical terminology”
17th Century
English
catheter
“A tube inserted into the body to drain or administer fluids”
20th Century
English
cath
“An informal clipped form referring to a catheter or catheterization”