Gynecomastia
/ˌɡaɪ.ni.koʊˈmæs.ti.ə/noun
Enlargement of breast tissue in males.
Did you know?It comes from Greek roots used in medical writing, where gynē meant “woman” and mastos meant “breast,” with -ia marking a condition or state.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
gynē + mastos + -ia
“woman + breast + condition/state”
Late Greek / Medical Greek
Greek
gynaikomastia
“female-like breast development”
19th Century
Medical Latin / English
gynecomastia
“medical term for enlargement of male breast tissue”
Modern English
English
gynecomastia
“enlargement of breast tissue in males”
Explore more surprising origins