Urethra
/jʊˈriː.θrə/noun
The tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
Did you know?Urethra comes from Greek ourethra, a term already used in antiquity for the urine channel, showing how medical language can preserve ancient anatomy almost unchanged.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GRK
ourḗthrā / ourḗthra
“the urine passage or channel”
Late Greek
GRK
ourethra
“the urethra, the duct carrying urine”
Late Latin
LAT
urethra
“the urethra”
Middle English
ENG
urethre
“the urethra”
Modern English
ENG
urethra
“the tube carrying urine from the bladder to the outside of the body”