Ophthalmoscope
/ˌɒf.θælˈmɒs.kəʊp/noun
An instrument used to examine the interior of the eye, especially the retina.
Did you know?Ophthalmoscope is built from Greek roots meaning “eye” and “to look,” so the word itself is a tiny act of seeing-seeing: a tool named for the power to reveal what’s normally invisible.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GRK
ophthalmos
“eye”
Ancient Greek
GRK
skopein
“to look at, examine”
1820s
FR/ENG
ophthalmoscope
“a device for examining the eye”
Modern English
ENG
ophthalmoscope
“an instrument for inspecting the inside of the eye”
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