Fornix
/ˈfɔːr.nɪks/noun
An arch or vaulted structure; in anatomy, a curved band or arch-like structure in the brain.
Did you know?Latin fornix originally meant an arch or vault, and it later became slang for a brothel because such places were often tucked beneath arcades and arches.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰerǵʰ-
“to rise, be high, or make lofty”
Latin
Latin
fornix
“an arch, vault, or arched structure”
Classical Latin
Latin
fornix
“a vaulted place; later, a brothel or place of prostitution”
Middle English
English
fornix
“an arch or vault, especially in architecture or anatomy”
Modern English
English
fornix
“an arch-like anatomical structure, especially in the brain”