thorax

Where does the word "thorax" come from? It comes from Greek thorax, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).

Thorax’s story begins in Greek: thorax meant “a breastplate, the chest.” Originally a breastplate, later the chest itself. It reached English by 1500s as thorax. Settled as the medical word for the chest cavity. Today, thorax means the part of the body between the neck and abdomen, containing the heart and lungs.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient thorax "a breastplate, the chest", originally a breastplate, later the chest itself.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1500s thorax "the chest cavity", settled as the medical word for the chest cavity.