Frena

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term referring to the bands of tissue that connect organs or parts of the body, such as between the tongue and the floor of the mouth
2. It is also used in the context of dental devices that restrict movement
3. Furthermore, it can signify a place in anatomy where control is exerted over movement or function

Etymology: "Frena" is the plural of "frenum," a Latin word that originally meant a bridle, curb, or bit for a horse. English borrowed the term in its Latin form, and the leap from harness to anatomy is what makes it notable: the same word that once described the metal piece held in a horse's mouth came to name small, strap-like bands of tissue in the body that restrict movement, such as the fold under the tongue. The logic behind the shift is easy to see once you picture the anatomy. A band that checks the motion of an organ works much like a bridle checks a horse, so the physical image carried over intact. The Latin word "frēnum" itself belongs to a family of terms for restraint and control, and it traces back through Proto-Italic to an older Indo-European root, though English speakers only ever needed the Latin noun.

Synonyms: folds, membranes