Vomica
/ˈvɒmɪkə/noun
A localized abscess, especially one in the lung that discharges pus through the airways.
Did you know?Roman physicians used *vomica* for an abscess or tumor thought to discharge material like vomiting, linking internal disease to forceful expulsion.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wem-
“To vomit or force material out”
Ancient Greek
Greek
emeîn
“To vomit”
Classical Latin
Latin
vomere
“To vomit or spew forth”
Classical Latin
Latin
vomica
“An abscess, tumor, or bodily swelling that discharges matter”
17th Century
English
vomica
“A pathological cavity or abscess, especially in the lung”
Modern English
English
vomica
“A localized abscess, particularly one that empties through the bronchial tubes”