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Origin and history of hernia

hernia(n.)

late 14c., hirnia, from Latin hernia "a rupture," related to hira "intestine," from PIE root *ghere- "gut, entrail." The re-Latinized spelling of the English word is from 17c. Related: Herniated (1819).

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to hernia

hernial(adj.)

early 15c., from Medieval Latin hernialis, from hernia (see hernia).

herniation(n.)

1875, from hernia (q.v.) + -ation, element forming nouns of action.

*ghere-

*gherə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "gut, entrail." 

It might form all or part of: Chordata; chordate; chord (n.2) "structure in animals resembling a string;" chorion; cord; cordon; harpsichord; haruspex; hernia; notochord; yarn.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit hira "vein; band;" Latin hernia "rupture;" Greek khorde "intestine, gut-string;" Lithuanian žarna "guts, leather bag;" Old English gearn, Old High German garn "yarn" (originally made of dried gut), Old Norse gorn "gut."

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