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Where does the word "hepatitis" come from? It comes from Greek hepar, and was adopted directly into English (1700s).
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Where does the word "hepatitis" come from? It comes from Greek hepar, and was adopted directly into English (1700s).
Hepatitis’s story begins in Greek: hepar meant “the liver.” The liver, combined with the suffix -itis (inflammation). It reached English by 1700s as hepatitis. Settled as the medical word for liver inflammation. Today, hepatitis means inflammation of the liver, often caused by a viral infection.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient hepar "the liver", the liver, combined with the suffix -itis (inflammation).
- Stage 2 · English · 1700s hepatitis "inflammation of the liver", settled as the medical word for liver inflammation.