Colposcopy
/kɒlˈpɒs.kə.pi/noun
A medical examination of the cervix and vagina using a magnifying instrument called a colposcope.
Did you know?The term was coined from Greek roots by German gynecologist Hans Hinselmann, who introduced the colposcope in 1925 to detect cervical abnormalities.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κόλπος (kolpos)
“A hollow, fold, bay, bosom, or—in anatomical usage—the vagina”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σκοπεῖν (skopein)
“To look at, examine, or observe closely”
19th Century
New Latin
colposcopium
“An instrument for viewing the vaginal canal; formed from Greek kolpos and skopein”
1925
German
Kolposkop
“The magnifying instrument introduced by Hans Hinselmann for examining the cervix”
20th Century
English
colposcopy
“Examination of the cervix and vagina through a colposcope”
Modern English
English
colposcopy
“A clinical procedure used to inspect abnormal tissue and guide biopsies”