Turbinate
/ˈtɜːr.bɪ.neɪt/noun
Shaped like a spinning top or, in anatomy, referring to a scroll-like bony structure inside the nose.
Did you know?The anatomical turbinates were named for their curled, shell-like form, linking medical vocabulary to the ancient image of a rotating top or whirlwind.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*twer-
“To twist, turn, or whirl”
Ancient Greek
Greek
turbē?
“Related rotational imagery is reflected in the wider Indo-European family, though the direct form is Latin”
Classical Latin
Latin
turbo
“A spinning top, whirlwind, or whirlpool”
Classical Latin
Latin
turbinatus
“Shaped like a spinning top; conical or whirling”
16th Century
Latin/English
turbinate
“Adopted into English for something top-shaped or conical”
Modern English
English
turbinate
“Top-shaped; especially a curled anatomical structure in the nasal cavity”