Pericarditis
/ˌpɛrɪkɑːrˈdaɪtɪs/noun
Inflammation of the pericardium, the membranous sac surrounding the heart.
Did you know?The Greek root kardia, meaning “heart,” also traveled into Latin as cor or cordis, linking pericarditis to words such as courage, cordial, and discord.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kerd-
“Heart”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kardia
“Heart”
Ancient Greek
Greek
perikardion
“The structure surrounding the heart”
Late Greek
Greek
perikarditis
“Inflammation of the pericardium”
19th Century
New Latin
pericarditis
“Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart”
Modern English
English
pericarditis
“Inflammation of the pericardium”