Cochleostomy
/ˌkɒk.liˈɒs.tə.mi/noun
A surgical procedure that creates an opening into the cochlea of the inner ear.
Did you know?The word’s first element comes from the Greek name for a spiral-shelled snail, while its ending is related to Greek words for mouth and opening.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steh₂-
“To stand or be placed; a distant root associated with the formation of Greek terms for openings and structures.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κοχλίας (kokhlias)
“A spiral-shelled snail; by extension, a spiral or snail-shaped object.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
στόμα (stoma)
“Mouth, opening, or entrance.”
19th Century
Medical Greek
-ostomy
“A surgical suffix meaning the creation of an opening.”
20th Century
Medical English
cochleostomy
“A surgical opening made into the cochlea, especially in ear surgery.”
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