English
emphysema
Emphysema comes from Latin emphȳsēma ‘swelling’, from Ancient Greek ἐμφῡσάω ‘to puff up’, and ultimately from φῦσᾰ ‘pair of bellows’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφῦσᾰ‘pair of bellows’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφῡσάω‘to blow, to puff’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐμφῡσάωemphūsáō‘to puff up’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐμφῡ́σημαemphū́sēma
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEemphȳsēma‘swelling’
- Englishearliest quotation 2015emphysema
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEφῦσᾰ‘pair of bellows’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEφῡσάω‘to blow, to puff’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐμφῡσάωemphūsáō‘to puff up’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐμφῡ́σημαemphū́sēma
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEemphȳsēma‘swelling’
- Englishearliest quotation 2015emphysema
Earliest quotation: 2015, Geeta Shroff: “The panacinar emphysema shows higher compliance with lungs then…”
The story
Also borrowed from Middle French emphysema, from the same Latin source; compare French emphysème. Attested from the late 16th century.
Every English word from Ancient Greek φῦσᾰ
Today it means
noun An abnormal accumulation of air or other gas in tissues, most commonly the lungs.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek φῦσᾰ / emphysema