Hypoglossal
/ˌhaɪ.poʊˈɡlɑːs.əl/noun
Relating to the nerve that supplies the muscles of the tongue.
Did you know?The hypoglossal nerve was named from Greek roots because it runs beneath the tongue, and in older medical language that “under” placement made it sound almost like a secret support line for speech itself.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hypóglōssos
“under the tongue; beneath the tongue”
Late Latin
Latin
hypoglossus
“under the tongue”
Medieval Latin
Latin
nervus hypoglossus
“the tongue nerve”
16th–17th Century
English
hypoglossal
“anatomical term for the nerve beneath the tongue”
Modern English
English
hypoglossal
“relating to the nerve that controls tongue movement”
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