Thymus
/ˈθaɪ.məs/noun
A gland in the upper chest that is important to the immune system, especially in childhood.
Did you know?The Greek word *thymos* could mean “spirit,” “passion,” or “heart-soul,” and the thymus gland was named for a supposed resemblance to the thyme plant—not for any occult function, though the root still sounds eerily like a word for inner fire.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
θύμος (thymos)
“thyme; also spirit, passion, anger, heart-soul”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θύμος (thymos)
“used in anatomical naming for the gland, likely from resemblance to the thyme plant”
Late Latin
Latin
thymus
“the thymus gland”
Middle French
French
thymus
“thymus gland”
Modern English
English
thymus
“the gland behind the breastbone”