Ileal
/ˈɪliəl/noun
Relating to the ileum, the final section of the small intestine.
Did you know?Ileal comes from Latin ileum, from Greek eileon, a term tied to the winding, coiled part of the intestine—an example of how medical language preserves ancient body-mapping.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
eileon
“the ileum; the coiled lower intestine”
Classical Latin
Latin
ileum
“the ileum, especially the lower part of the small intestine”
Late Latin / Medieval Medical Latin
Latin
ilealis
“pertaining to the ileum”
16th–17th Century
English
ileal
“pertaining to the ileum”