stethoscope

Where does the word "stethoscope" come from? It comes from Greek stethos, passing through French before entering English (1820).

Stethoscope’s story begins in Greek: stethos meant “chest.” Chest, combined with skopein (to look at, examine). By 1819, the word had taken hold in French as stethoscope. Coined by physician Rene Laennec from Greek stethos (chest) and skopein (to examine). It reached English by 1820 as stethoscope. René Laennec invented it in 1816 and named it from Greek 'stēthos', chest. Today, stethoscope means a medical instrument used to listen to sounds inside the body, especially the heart and lungs.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient stethos "chest", chest, combined with skopein (to look at, examine).
2. Stage 2 · French · 1819 stethoscope "chest-examiner", coined by physician Rene Laennec from Greek stethos (chest) and skopein (to examine).
3. Stage 3 · English · 1820 stethoscope "an instrument for listening to sounds within the body", René Laennec invented it in 1816 and named it from Greek 'stēthos', chest.