Gynecology: an Etymological Note
AUTOR(ES)
Charen, Thelma
RESUMO
“Gynecology” is derived ultimately from the Indo-European root GEN-. Though this gives directly words like progeny and generate, by a less open path come the Latin cognates like nature and native and the English queen and king. “Woman” is explained, and English names like Brewster are explained with reference to the suffix -ster. Latin derivatives of the female/feminine class are traced to an old root DHE, cognate with the Greek derivatives involving thel-. Short stories are told for virago, amazon, mamma, barbarian, abecedarian, elementary, and for many Latin-derived words in mol- and English words in mil-, tying them to the Latin mollis (soft) as related to mulier (woman). These are tied, in turn, to an older root MAR-yielding marasmus, mors, murder, milk, etc. Derivatives from the Latin domina and finally the English lady are discussed.
