Perinaeum

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The area between the anus and the genitals, particularly relevant in anatomy and medicine
2. A region of the body in both males and females important for reproductive and excretory functions
3. The surface region often referred to in discussions of pelvic health and surgical procedures

Etymology: The Greek word behind this anatomical term was not originally about the perineum at all. Ancient Greek "perínaion" named the space between the anus and the scrotum, and it grew out of "períneos," a word for the male genitals. That in turn was shaped by "perís," meaning "penis," but its form was influenced by "pērís," meaning "scrotum." So the term was built around the male anatomy from the start, and the region it names was defined by the parts around it. The word reached Latin as "perinaeum," a Late Latin borrowing, and it passed into English in that form, with the spelling "perineum" now the standard one. Here "perinaeum" is simply an alternative spelling of that same term.

Synonyms: perineum