Colobomata
/ˌkɒl.əˈbɒm.ə.tə/noun
The plural of coloboma, referring to congenital gaps or missing portions in ocular or other body structures.
Did you know?The same Greek root describing a mutilated or shortened body part was also used in zoology for colobus monkeys, named for their characteristically reduced thumbs.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kolobós
“Mutilated, docked, or shortened”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kolobóō
“To mutilate, shorten, or maim”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kolóbōma
“A mutilation, defect, or truncated part”
Late 19th Century
Medical Latin
coloboma
“A congenital cleft or gap in a body structure, especially the eye”
Modern English
English
coloboma
“A congenital absence or defect in part of the eye or another structure”
Modern English
English
colobomata
“Plural of coloboma”