Hernias

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An ailment characterized by the protrusion of an organ or tissue through an abnormal opening in the surrounding muscle or membrane
2. A medical condition involving the displacement of bodily organs through weakened areas in the abdominal cavity's wall
3. A condition where internal tissues or organs push through a weak spot in the muscles or surrounding layer

Etymology: "Hernias" is simply the plural of "hernia," so its history is the history of that singular noun. "Hernia" was borrowed directly from Latin, where "hernia" meant something like a protruding internal organ or a swelling caused by a rupture. The Latin noun is itself linked to the Latin words for yarn and cord, a connection that is often cited for the sense of something being twisted or wound out of place, though the exact link is debated. Medical writers adopted the Latin term unchanged, which is why the word looks and sounds the same in English as it did in ancient texts. Its meaning has stayed close to the original: a part of the body pushing through a weak point in the wall that normally contains it. The plural follows the Latin pattern of "-ia" endings, which English usually keeps in its learned medical vocabulary, so the plural is formed by adding "s" rather than changing the ending.

Synonyms: protrusions, bulges