Hysterectomy
/ˌhɪs.təˈrɛk.tə.mi/noun
Surgical removal of the uterus.
Did you know?The first element comes from Greek hystera, the uterus, and the same root also gave English the word hysteria, once wrongly linked to the womb in ancient medical theory.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hystera
“uterus, womb”
19th Century
Greek/Latin
hysterektomia
“surgical removal of the uterus”
19th Century
French
hystérectomie
“uterus removal, surgical operation”
Late 19th Century
English
hysterectomy
“surgical removal of the uterus”
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