English
anencephaly
Anencephaly comes from New Latin anencephalia, and goes back to Ancient Greek ἐγκέφαλος ‘within the head’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἐγκέφαλοςenképhalos‘within the head’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900anencephalia
- Englishtodayanencephaly
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἐγκέφαλοςenképhalos‘within the head’
- New Latinc. 1500–1900anencephalia
- Englishtodayanencephaly
Equivalent to an- + encephaly
Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- ‘on, onto’
Proto-Germanic *ana- ‘on’
Proto-West Germanic *ana- ‘Forming verbs and adjectives from participles…’
English an-
Every English word from Ancient Greek ἐγκέφαλος
Today it means
noun A lethal birth defect involving the abscence of a major portion of the brain and parts of the skull are missing; absence of the encephalon.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἐγκέφαλος / anencephaly