Thyreoid
/ˈθaɪr.i.ɔɪd/noun
A variant spelling of thyroid, relating to the thyroid gland or the shield-shaped thyroid cartilage.
Did you know?The name refers to the thyroid cartilage’s resemblance to a Greek shield, while the gland itself sits behind it in the neck.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰwer-
“Door, doorway, or passage”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θύρα (thýra)
“Door or entrance”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θυρεός (thyreós)
“A large, oblong shield, named for its door-like shape”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θυρεοειδής (thyreoeidḗs)
“Shield-shaped; resembling a shield”
Late 16th Century
Latin
thyreoides
“Shield-shaped; the anatomical term applied to the thyroid cartilage”
17th Century
English
thyroid
“Relating to the thyroid cartilage or gland”
Modern English
English
thyreoid
“A variant spelling of thyroid”