Gastroenterology
/ˌɡæs.troʊˌɛn.təˈrɒl.ə.dʒi/noun
The branch of medicine concerned with the digestive system and its disorders.
Did you know?Gastroenterology is a modern scholarly compound built from Greek roots, and its ending -logy comes from logos, a word that once meant not just “study” but also “speech,” “reason,” and even “account.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
gastḗr
“stomach, belly”
Ancient Greek
Greek
énteron
“intestine”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-logia
“study, discourse, account”
Late 19th Century
English
gastro-enterology
“medical study of the stomach and intestines”
Modern English
English
gastroenterology
“the medical specialty dealing with the digestive tract”