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Origin and history of vasectomy

vasectomy(n.)

operation to render a male infertile, 1896, from Modern Latin vas (deferens) + -ectomy "a cutting, surgical removal." Related: Vasectomized.

also from 1896

Entries linking to vasectomy

vas(n.)

in anatomy, "a tube, duct, or conduit for conveying blood, lymph, semen, etc.," Latin, literally "vessel," a word of unknown etymology. Vas deferens (plural vasa defferentia) is from 1570s.

-ectomy

word-forming element meaning "surgical removal," from Latinized form of Greek -ektomia "a cutting out of," from ektemnein "to cut out," from ek "out" (see ex-) + temnein "to cut" (from PIE root *tem- "to cut").

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    excision
    "the act of full or partial cutting off or away by surgical operation," especially of a small, diseased part of the body, late 15c. (Caxton), from Old French excision (14c.) and directly from Latin excisionem (nominative excisio) "a destroying," noun of action from past-participl
    ablation
    early 15c., "a carrying or taking away," in medicine, "mechanical removal of something harmful from the body," from Latin ablationem (nominative ablatio), "a taking away," noun of action from past-participle stem of auferre "to carry away," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + th
    educate
    mid-15c., educaten, "bring up (children), to train," from Latin educatus, past participle of educare "bring up, rear, educate" (source also of Italian educare, Spanish educar, French éduquer), which is a frequentative of or otherwise related to educere "bring out, lead forth," fr
    nurse
    c. 1200, norice, nurrice, "wet-nurse, woman who nourishes or suckles an infant; foster-mother to a young child," from Old French norrice "foster-mother, wet-nurse, nanny" (source of proper name Norris), from Late Latin *nutricia "nurse, governess, tutoress," noun use of fem. of L
    aphrodisiac
    "preparation or drug which excites sexual desire," 1719, from Latinized form of Greek aphrodisiakos "inducing sexual desire," from Aphrodisios, "sacred to Aphrodite, pertaining to Aphrodite," Greek goddess of love and beauty (see Aphrodite), whose name also meant "sexual pleasure
    silhouette
    "portrait in black showing the profile," 1798, from French silhouette, in reference to Étienne de Silhouette (1709-1767), French minister of finance in 1759. The usual reason given is that it was an inexpensive way to make a likeness of someone, and thus the name was a derisive r
    patriot
    1590s, "compatriot," from French patriote (15c.) and directly from Late Latin patriota "fellow-countryman" (6c.), from Greek patriotes "fellow countryman," from patrios "of one's fathers," patris "fatherland," from pater (genitive patros) "father" (see father (n.)); with -otes, s
    lieutenant
    late 14c., "one who takes the place of another," from Old French lieu tenant "substitute, deputy," literally "place holder" (14c.), from lieu "place" (see lieu) + tenant, present participle of tenir "to hold," from PIE root *ten- "to stretch." The notion is of a "substitute" for
    reprimand
    "severe reproof (especially one given by a magistrate or authority) for a fault," 1630s, from French réprimande (16c.), earlier reprimende "reproof," from Latin reprimenda "that is to be repressed" (as in reprimenda culpa "fault to be checked," reprimenda res "thing that ought to
    music
    mid-13c., musike, "a pleasing succession of sounds or combinations of sounds; the science of combining sounds in rhythmic, melodic, and (later) harmonic order," from Old French musique (12c.) and directly from Latin musica "the art of music," also including poetry (also source of

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