Meningoceles

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of neural tube defect where the protective membranes covering the spinal cord protrude through a defect in the vertebrae
2. A congenital condition involving the herniation of meninges containing cerebrospinal fluid through a spinal defect
3. A medical disorder characterized by the abnormal bulging of the membranes surrounding the spinal cord outside the vertebral column

Etymology: "Meningoceles" is the plural of "meningocele", a noun for a hernia-like swelling in which the membranes covering the spinal cord push out through a gap in the vertebrae. The singular is built from two Greek elements: "meningo-", from Greek "mēnigx" (genitive "mēningos"), meaning membrane, and "-cele", from Greek "kēlē", meaning swelling or tumour. The second element is the same one found in words like hydrocele and varicocele, where it names a sac or swelling filled with fluid or displaced tissue. Neither part was used in this sense by the ancient Greeks, who had no concept of a spinal membrane protruding through bone. The compound is a later medical coinage, assembled from classical roots to name a specific condition, so the word reflects modern anatomy more than ancient practice.