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Where does the word "fetus" come from? It comes from Latin fetus, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "fetus" come from? It comes from Latin fetus, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Fetus’s story begins in Latin: fetus meant “offspring, bearing.” From 'feta', pregnant. It reached English by 1300s as fetus. The British spelling 'foetus' came from a false etymology. Today, fetus means an unborn offspring.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fetus "offspring, bearing", from 'feta', pregnant.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s fetus "unborn young", the British spelling 'foetus' came from a false etymology.