Cor

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kɔɹ/

Definitions

1. A term derived from Latin, meaning heart, used in anatomy and other sciences
2. A prefix denoting relationship to the heart, as seen in medical terminology like cardiovascular
3. A root originating from Latin that signifies the central organ associated with emotional or physical vitality, often referenced in various disciplines

Etymology: In Latin, "cor" meant heart, and it is still used unchanged in anatomy and medicine, where terms such as "cor pulmonale" name conditions of the heart. Its genitive form, "cordis," gave English "cordial," which originally described something heartfelt and only later came to mean warm or friendly, while the Greek word "kardia" supplies the root of "cardiac." English speakers also know "cor" as an exclamation of surprise, mostly in British use. It is a different word that descends from "God," softened into a minced oath, and it appears in phrases like "cor blimey," from "God blind me." The two words are unrelated in origin, so the Latin noun and the British interjection are simply homographs that share a spelling.

Synonyms: heart, core, center

Antonyms: periphery