Prostatic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or affecting the prostate, a gland involved in male reproductive health
2. Describing conditions, treatments, or anatomical features associated with the prostate in the male body
3. Pertaining to the functions or diseases of the prostate gland, relevant to urinary and sexual health

Etymology: The adjective "prostatic" is simply "prostate" with the English suffix "-ic" attached, and the noun it rests on is the more interesting part. In ancient Greek, "prostatēs" meant someone who stands before others: a front-stander, a protector, or in some contexts a patron or champion. It was built from "pro-", meaning "before" or "in front of," and "histanai," the verb "to stand," which in Greek made a noun meaning a person who stands out in front. Greek writers used the word for a leader or a guardian, and in Athens it was also a technical term for a resident foreigner who had to have a citizen sponsor. The anatomical sense came much later. Medieval Latin writers borrowed the Greek word as "prostata," and the organ was named for its position: the gland sits in front of the bladder neck, so it seemed to stand guard over it. The name passed through Middle French as "prostate" into English, and the adjective "prostatic" follows the same pattern as other English medical adjectives ending in "-ic."