Trachys
/ˈtræk.ɪs/noun
A Greek word meaning rough, harsh, or rugged.
Did you know?The same Greek root behind *trachys* also helps form medical terms like *trachea*, originally named for its “rough” windpipe texture.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tregh-
“to rub, scrape, or wear rough”
Ancient Greek
Greek
τραχύς (trachys)
“rough, rugged, harsh”
Classical Greek
Greek
τραχεῖα ἀρτηρία (tracheia arteria)
“the rough artery, the windpipe”
Late Latin
Latin
trachea
“windpipe”
Middle English
English
trachee
“the windpipe”
Modern English
English
trachea
“the windpipe”
Explore more surprising origins