Encephalitis
/ˌɛn.sə.fəˈlaɪ.tɪs/noun
Inflammation of the brain.
Did you know?The suffix -itis became the standard medical marker for inflammation, so this word is a classic example of Greek anatomy being turned into a diagnostic code.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐγκέφαλος (enkephalos)
“the brain, literally “in the head””
Ancient Greek
Greek
-ῖτις (-itis)
“a disease or inflammatory condition”
Late Latin / Medical Latin
Latin
encephalitis
“inflammation of the brain”
19th Century
English
encephalitis
“a medical term adopted into English for brain inflammation”
Modern English
English
encephalitis
“inflammation of the brain, usually due to infection or immune causes”
Explore more surprising origins