lymph

Where does the word "lymph" come from? It comes from Latin lympha, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Lymph’s story begins in Latin: lympha meant “clear water.” Clear water, later applied to the clear bodily fluid of the immune system. It reached English by 1600s as lymph. Settled as the medical word for the clear immune-system fluid. Today, lymph means a clear fluid containing white blood cells, circulated through the lymphatic system.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient lympha "clear water", clear water, later applied to the clear bodily fluid of the immune system.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s lymph "a clear fluid of the immune system", settled as the medical word for the clear immune-system fluid.