Onychomycosis
/ˌɒnɪkoʊmaɪˈkoʊsɪs/noun
A fungal infection of the nails.
Did you know?Its roots are pure Greek: onyx meant “nail” or “claw,” and mykēs meant “fungus,” so the term reads like a clinical spell for a parasite that takes over the body’s hard armor.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὄνυξ (ónyx)
“nail; claw”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μύκης (mýkēs)
“fungus”
New Latin
Latin
onychomycosis
“fungal disease of the nails”
19th Century
English
onychomycosis
“medical term for fungal infection of the nails”
Modern English
English
onychomycosis
“fungal infection of the nails”