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Origin and history of prostate

prostate(n.)

"the prostate gland," 1640s, from French prostate, from Medieval Latin prostata "the prostate," from Greek prostatēs (adēn) "prostate (gland)," from prostatēs "leader, ruler, guardian; one standing in front," from proistanai "set before," from pro "before" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, before") + histanai "cause to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm." So called from its position at the base of the bladder and immediately in front of its mouth. Related: Prostatic.

also from 1640s

Entries linking to prostate

prostaglandin(n.)

substance found in seminal fluid, 1936, from German (1935); see prostate + gland + chemical suffix -in (2).

prostatitis(n.)

"inflammation of the prostate gland," 1839 (by 1834 in German), from prostate + -itis "inflammation."

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crush
mid-14c., "smash, shatter, break into fragments or small particles; force down and bruise by heavy weight," also figuratively, "overpower, subdue," from Old French cruissir (Modern French écraser), variant of croissir "to gnash (teeth), crash, smash, break," which is perhaps from
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