intestine (n.)

"lower part of the alimentary canal," early 15c., from Old French intestin (14c.) or directly from Latin intestinum "a gut," in plural (intestina), "intestines, bowels," noun use of neuter of adjective intestinus "inward, internal," from intus "within, on the inside" (from PIE *entos, suffixed form of root *en "in").

Distinction of large and small intestines in Middle English was made under the terms gross and subtle. Intestine also was used as an adjective in English 16c.-19c. with a sense (as in French) of "internal, domestic, civil."

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to intestine

intestinal (adj.)

early 15c., from medical Latin intestinalis, from Latin intestinum "an intestine, gut" (see intestine).

*en

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "in."

It forms all or part of: and; atoll; dysentery; embargo; embarrass; embryo; empire; employ; en- (1) "in; into;" en- (2) "near, at, in, on, within;" enclave; endo-; enema; engine; enoptomancy; enter; enteric; enteritis; entero-; entice; ento-; entrails; envoy; envy; episode; esoteric; imbroglio; immolate; immure; impede; impend; impetus; important; impostor; impresario; impromptu; in; in- (2) "into, in, on, upon;" inchoate; incite; increase; inculcate; incumbent; industry; indigence; inflict; ingenuous; ingest; inly; inmost; inn; innate; inner; innuendo; inoculate; insignia; instant; intaglio; inter-; interim; interior; intern; internal; intestine; intimate (adj.) "closely acquainted, very familiar;" intra-; intricate; intrinsic; intro-; introduce; introduction; introit; introspect; invert; mesentery.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit antara- "interior;" Greek en "in," eis "into," endon "within;" Latin in "in, into," intro "inward," intra "inside, within;" Old Irish in, Welsh yn, Old Church Slavonic on-, Old English in "in, into," inne "within, inside."

Trends of intestine

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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bowel

c. 1300, usually plural, bowels, "human organs of the abdominal cavity," from late 14c. specifically as "human intestines," from Old French boele "intestines, bowels, innards" (12c., Modern French boyau), from Medieval Latin botellus "small intestine," originally "sausage," dimin

gut

Old English guttas (plural) "bowels, entrails," literally "a channel," related to geotan "to pour," from Proto-Germanic *gut-, from PIE root *gheu- "to pour." Related to Middle Dutch gote, Dutch goot, German Gosse "gutter, drain," Middle English gote "channel, stream." Meaning "a

duodenum

"first portion of the small intestine," late 14c., also duodene, from Medieval Latin duodenum digitorium "space of twelve...The intestine part was so called by Greek physician Herophilus (c. 353-280 B.C.E.) for its length, which is about equal to...

ileum

lowest part of the small intestine, 1680s, medical Latin, from ileum, in medieval medicine "the part of the small intestines...

cord

chorda "string of a musical instrument, cat-gut," from Greek khorde "string, catgut, chord, cord," from PIE root *ghere- "intestine...

elbow

"bend of the arm," c. 1200, elbowe, from a contraction of Old English elnboga "elbow," from Proto-Germanic *elino-bugon, literally "bend of the forearm" (source also of Middle Dutch ellenboghe, Dutch elleboog, Old High German elinbogo, German Ellenboge, Old Norse ölnbogi). First

below

"in a lower position," early 14c., biloogh, from be- "by, about" + logh, lou, lowe "low" (see low (adj.)). Apparently a variant of earlier a-lowe (influenced by other adverbs in be-; see before), the parallel form to an-high (now on high). Beneath was the usual word; below was ve

stomach

late 14c. variant of earlier stomake (early 14c.), "the human stomach, internal pouch of the body into which food is digested," from Old French stomaque, estomac "stomach," from Latin stomachus "throat, gullet; stomach," also "taste, inclination, liking; distaste, dislike;" also

tug

c. 1200, from weak grade of Old English teohan "to pull, drag," from Proto-Germanic *teuhan "to pull" (source also of Old High German zucchen "to pull, jerk," German zücken "to draw quickly), from PIE root *deuk- "to lead." Related to tow (v.). Related: Tugged; tugging....mid-14c

belly

a general Germanic word for "leather bag, pouch, pod" that in English has evolved to mean a part of the body; Middle English beli, from from Old English belg, bylig (West Saxon), bælg (Anglian) "leather bag, purse, pouch, pod, husk, bellows," from Proto-Germanic *balgiz "bag" (so

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updated on December 09, 2020

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Dictionary entries near intestine

interwork

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intestate

intestinal

intestine

intestines

intice

Intifada

intimacy

intimate