Ruga
/ˈruːɡə/noun
A wrinkle, fold, or ridge, especially in anatomy or in a surface.
Did you know?In Latin, *ruga* meant a wrinkle or fold, and that same root survived in scientific anatomy to name the ridged folds of tissues, where language literally mirrors the body’s hidden contours.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*reug-
“to wrinkle, fold, or make rough”
Latin
Latin
ruga
“a wrinkle, crease, or fold in the skin or a surface”
Late Latin
Latin
rugosus
“wrinkled, rough, full of folds”
Old French
Old French
rue
“a wrinkle, fold, or crease”
Modern English
English
ruga
“a wrinkle or fold, especially in anatomy”
Explore more surprising origins