Cercus
/ˈsɜːr.kəs/noun
A paired appendage at the rear of the abdomen in many arthropods, often serving sensory or defensive functions.
Did you know?The word comes from Ancient Greek kerkos, meaning “tail,” and was adopted into zoological Latin during the 19th century for paired tail-like structures.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κέρκος (kérkos)
“Tail”
Hellenistic Greek
Greek
kerkos
“A tail or tail-like appendage”
19th Century
New Latin
cercus
“A zoological tail-like appendage”
1839
English
cercus
“A paired appendage at the end of an arthropod’s abdomen”
Modern English
English
cercus
“A sensory, defensive, or reproductive abdominal appendage in certain arthropods”