Thyroid
/ˈθaɪ.rɔɪd/noun
A butterfly-shaped endocrine gland in the neck that regulates metabolism.
Did you know?The name comes from Greek medical imagery: the thyroid cartilage was described as shield-shaped, and that anatomical name later spread to the gland sitting behind it.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
thyreoeidēs
“Shield-shaped; resembling a door-shield”
Late Latin
Latin
thyreoides
“Shield-shaped, used in anatomical description”
17th Century
English
thyroid cartilage
“The shield-like cartilage of the larynx”
19th Century
English
thyroid gland
“The endocrine gland named for its shield-like position/shape”