Prostates

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A pair of glands located near the bladder in males that plays a role in reproductive health by producing a fluid component of semen
2. Glands situated below the bladder that contribute to the creation of seminal fluid and are involved in male reproductive function
3. Two glandular organs surrounding the urethra in men, essential for semen production and influencing urinary control

Etymology: The prostate gland takes its name from a Greek word meaning "one who stands before." In ancient Greek, "prostátēs" was a compound of "pro-" (before, in front) and "histēmi" (to stand, set up), and it denoted someone who stood in front of others: a protector, a patron, or a leader who presided over a group. Athenian law used the term for a resident alien who was required to have a citizen sponsor, so a metic in the city needed a "prostátēs" to act on his behalf. Anatomists in the Renaissance and later borrowed the word for the gland, which sits at the base of the bladder and surrounds the urethra, apparently because it seemed to stand in front of the bladder's outlet. The term passed into Medieval Latin as "prostata," then into Middle French as "prostate," and reached English in the form "prostate." The plural "prostates" is simply the regular English plural of "prostate," with the "-s" added to the singular form.

Synonyms: glands, organs