English
placenta
Placenta comes from New Latin placenta, from Ancient Greek πλακοῦς ‘flat cake’, and ultimately from Proto-Hellenic *pləks.
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pləksreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπλάξpláx‘flat’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλακοῦςplakoûs‘flat cake’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλακόεντα
- New Latinc. 1500–1900placentaliterally ‘flat cake’
- Englishtodayplacenta
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*pləksreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπλάξpláx‘flat’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλακοῦςplakoûs‘flat cake’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλακόεντα
- New Latinc. 1500–1900placentaliterally ‘flat cake’
- Englishtodayplacenta
The story
Learned borrowing from New Latin placenta (literally “flat cake”), an ellipsis of phrases such as placenta uterī (literally “womb cake”) and placenta uterīna (literally “uterine cake”), because of the flat round shape of the afterbirth.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- ‘flat’
field, floor, explain, plane, palm, explanation, plain, clan, archipelago, fluke, explanatory, parma, flounder, playa, planar, palatine, lech, polonium, esplanade, pelagic, veld, placate, implacable, floe, purdah, llano, plantar, planta, 49 more
through Ancient Greek πλάξ ‘flat’
Today it means
noun An organ in most mammals during gestation that supplies food and oxygen to the foetus and passes back waste. It is on the wall of the uterus and links to the foetus through the umbilical cord. It is expelled after birth.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *pləks / placenta