Nephritis
/nɛˈfaɪ.tɪs/noun
Inflammation of the kidneys.
Did you know?The root nephr- also gave us the Nephilim in biblical tradition, but in medicine it simply means “kidney,” from the same Greek word used in ancient anatomy.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
nephrós
“kidney”
Ancient Greek
Greek
nephrîtis
“kidney inflammation”
Late Latin
Latin
nephritīs
“kidney inflammation”
Middle French
French
néphrite
“kidney-related inflammation/stone term in learned usage”
16th–17th Century
English
nephritis
“medical term for inflammation of the kidneys”
Modern English
English
nephritis
“inflammation of the kidneys”
Explore more surprising origins