Orthopedic
/ˌɔːr.θəˈpiː.dɪk/noun
Relating to the correction or treatment of the skeleton and associated structures, especially the bones and joints.
Did you know?The term was coined in 1741 by French physician Nicolas Andry, who used a tree-straightening image to describe correcting children’s deformities, turning a medical word into a symbol of bodily “alignment.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃reǵ-
“to straighten, direct, or rule”
Ancient Greek
Greek
orthós (ὀρθός)
“straight, upright, correct”
Ancient Greek
Greek
paîs / paidós (παῖς / παιδός)
“child”
1741
French
orthopédie
“the art of preventing or correcting deformities in children”
Modern English
English
orthopedic
“relating to the medical specialty concerned with correcting deformities or disorders of the musculoskeletal system”
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