Stick your tongue out and say "vesophagogastroduodenoscopy"

Unveil The History Behind These 12 Medical Terms!

Medical science is in constant evolution. Many of the procedures that now are considered state-of-the-art might be deemed barbaric in just a few decades. Each discovery in the field generates new medical concepts and illustrates the different paths that human ingenuity takes in its quest to save and improve lives. Behind each seemingly clinical term lies a rich narrative, a story that traverses centuries and continents, revealing the evolution of medical understanding and the often-surprising origins of the words we take for granted in the modern healthcare lexicon.

Fewer words within the medical realm are so used as this one. The word has two traceable origins: The Old French ospital, meaning "hostel, shelter, or lodging"; and the Late Latin hospitale, meaning "guest-house or inn". But the definition we give to the word these days was first recorded in the 1540s when its meaning shifted toward "institution for sick or wounded people".

Anesthesia must have been a very welcome innovation within the medical world when it first appeared back in the 19th century. The term itself unfolds as a testament to the remarkable evolution of medical science in alleviating human suffering.

Rooted in the Greek language, with an, signifying "absence", and aisthesis, representing "sensation"; anesthesia illustrates the profound concept of rendering patients insensible to pain during medical procedures.

While not every medical term describes an ancient discovery, many rely on the Greek language for a definition. The term biopsy, for example, combines the Greek words bios ("life") and opsis ("a sight").

This mix describes a medical procedure crucial for studying the intricacies of living tissues. Dating back to the early 20th century, the concept of biopsy gained prominence with the advancements in medical microscopy and pathology.

A much less used word than the previous ones, borborygmus is a term that describes those loud gurgles your belly sometimes makes. The seldomly heard term traces to the Greek verb borboryzein, which means "to rumble".

Often referred to as stomach or bowel rumbling, borborygmus is the audible result of the movement of gases and fluids within the digestive system. While typically a normal bodily function, excessive borborygmi can be indicative of underlying gastrointestinal issues.

This unusual word shares its origin with the more common migraine. Both Latin and Greek speakers afflicted with a pain in one side of the head called their ailment hemicrania, from the Greek terms hemi-, meaning "half," and kranion, meaning "cranium."

The French people who experienced this ailment used migraine, a modification of hemicrania, for the very same condition. Nowadays, megrim and migraine can still be used interchangeably, but megrim is much less common.

Warfarin is an anticoagulant drug used to prevent blood clots in conditions such as atrial fibrillation and rheumatic heart disease. Interestingly, the drug was originally developed for use as rat poison before it was used in human medicine.

Warfarin is derived from dicoumarol, which can be deadly in large doses. It was discovered in the 1920s after previously healthy cattle in the Northern Plains of America and the prairies of Canada started dying. It was found that the cattle were grazing on hay infested with mold, which turned the naturally occurring chemical coumarin (responsible for the smell of newly mown grass) into dicoumarol.

An extremely specific word, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is a string of Latin terms that together describe an inflammatory lung disease caused by long-term inhalation of silica dust.

The formidable term claims to be one of the longest words in the English language. This tongue-twisting word showcases the intricacies of medical nomenclature.

An almost mystical word, xenotransplantation marks a frontier in medical science, combining the Greek roots xeno (foreign) and "transplantation." This term defines the concept of transplanting organs or tissues from one species to another.

While the idea dates back centuries, the term gained prominence in the 20th century with advancements in immunology and genetic engineering. Xenotransplantation holds the promise of addressing the shortage of human donor organs, yet it confronts challenges related to immune rejection and the risk of cross-species infections.

Medicine has a word for almost everything. For example, those little transparent threads you sometimes see floating across your eyeball have a name: muscae volitantes ("flying flies"), the name for the little bits of protein or other material in the jelly inside your eye.

A term born from the intricate world of ophthalmology, where Latin meets the art of describing visual phenomena, muscae volitantes captures the floaters or specks that drift across one's field of vision due to particles or debris within the eye's vitreous humor.

A more dignified word for hangover, veisalgia originated in a 2000 paper in a medical journal. It combines the Norwegian word kveis ("uneasiness following debauchery") with the Greek word for "pain".

The undeniable universality of this human experience made it a matter of time —even if took so long— for a more serious defining term to appear.

The realm of phobias has room for some strange fears and this one is near the top spot. Arachibutyrophobia is a kind of phobia —in the sense that is not recognized as an official phobia— where the person fears that peanut butter could get stuck on the roof of their mouth.

The term is a combination of Greek words: arachi for "ground nut", butyr for "butter", and phobia for "fear". As we see, even the most specific and peculiar fears can find expression in the rich world of medical language.

There is a good reason for doctors abbreviating so many of the words in their everyday lexicon and this one is one of those. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, a formidable amalgamation of Greek roots, unveils a crucial diagnostic procedure in the realm of gastroenterology.

This term, often abbreviated as EGD, signifies the examination of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum through an endoscope. Coined in the mid-20th century, the term reflects the precision demanded by medical language to encapsulate complex procedures.

A MEAL FOR YOUR BRAIN

Did You Know These 10 Mouth-Watering Idioms Related To Food?

Image: Frank Holleman

A cookbook isn't the only type of book that can make you hungry: We guarantee that at least one of the ten idioms on this list will make your stomach rumble. While you might expect these idioms to mostly involve eating, they prove that food is an incredibly versatile linguistic resource.

These are ten of the most interesting and down-right baffling food-related idioms we could find. Looking for something fun to say at the dinner table? Keep on reading and enjoy!

Image: Michelle @Shelly Captures It

We’ll start with one of the most baffling ones. In case you are not familiar with this idiom, to "bring home the bacon" means to be the top earner in a society or organization, whether in your job or family. Why this particular cut of pork symbolizes earning a decent living remains a mystery.

The origins of this idiom are not completely clear. Many state that it comes from an English tradition that dates back to at least the 12th century, on which a local couple was awarded a flinch of bacon for their devotion. However, most historians agree its modern use comes from a 1906 boxing match between Joe Gans and ‘Battling’ Oliver Nelson: Before the match, Gans' mother sent him a telegram urging him to win the fight and "bring home the bacon".

Image: Fa Barboza

This one is rather self-explanatory. One of the defining features of a good pancake (which applies to pretty much all pancakes, given how delicious they are) is its flatness. After all, one of the most enjoyable things to do with a plate of pancakes is to stack them on top of each other before eating a massive multi-layered piece.

In that sense, since this idiom’s meaning is abundantly clear, it is particularly hard to trace back its origins. Most linguists agree it arose simply from common usage, owing to the widespread popularity of pancakes as a breakfast choice.

Image: Lars Blankers

The first derogatory idiom in this list, this phrase is typically uttered by disgruntled mothers complaining about their teenager’s lack of physical activity. If you happened to enjoy lazing on a Sunday afternoon indoors watching your favorite movie, then you were at risk of being called a "couch potato" by discontented parents.

This idiom is closely associated with excessive television watching. One possible origin can be traced to a 1979 article published in the LA Times, which talked about "Couch Potatoes who will be lying on couches watching television". Another theory states that the first appearance of this idiom was in a '70s comic book about two anthropomorphized potatoes lazying on a couch.

Image: Waldemar

You might think being called "cheesy" would be as derogatory as being labeled a "couch potato", but let’s face it: There’s something charming about a particularly corny, cheesy one-liner. The term 'cheesy' describes anything that is overly sappy or romantic, to the point of being either extremely off-putting or weirdly endearing.

The origins of this idiom are obscure. While we don’t have a definitive answer, some believe that it comes from the 20th century, in which cheap or tacky things were considered appalling and shocking, in the same way that some types of cheese have unpleasant odors.

Image: Wouter Supardi Salari

This idiom sounds slightly goofy, doesn’t it? Especially when you consider its meaning, which refers to something particularly difficult to understand or solve. For example, let’s say that Sherlock Holmes leaned over a trail of notes and, after taking a long drag from his pipe, said "This is a hard nut to crack." Don’t you feel this would make the image of the world’s most famous detective a little sillier?

But the truth is, this idiom makes perfect sense: Some nuts are particularly hard to crack open. In that sense, the origins of this idiom seem only logical and are rather hard to trace. However, some believe that the first recorded use of this phrase comes from none other than Benjamin Franklin: Apparently, this Founding Father used it in a letter written in 1755.

Image: Vyshnavi Bisani

Have you ever had some chocolate chip cookies and thought "These are the brainiest and wittiest snacks I ever had"? Of course, you haven’t- no one has. While delicious, cookies are not particularly known for being smart (And for that matter, no food is known for its intelligence), so the origins of the idiom "one smart cookie" are not as clear-cut as we would like.

However, while we can’t give you a definitive answer, most linguists agree that this idiom comes from America during "the Roaring Twenties". According to this theory, the term "cookie" was used to describe someone particularly delightful and sweet, as you would expect from this sugary snack. Therefore, a smart cookie is someone who is not only appealing and lovely, but who also shines through its intelligence.

Image: Luke Pennystan

Is it really surprising that pancakes made it to this list twice? They are the quintessential breakfast comfort food and have evolved into an American cultural icon. Bearing that in mind, this next idiom perfectly capitalizes on pancakes' popularity: Whenever something is extremely successful and profitable, you can say it is "selling like hot cakes".

Apparently, this idiom comes from church bake sales: Known as "hot cakes" or "Johnny cakes", these pancakes sold extremely fast since they were much better eaten hot. This phrase can be traced back to at least the 1830s when it was used in an article published in The Buffalo Bulletin.

Image: Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦

This one seems to come straight from the world of "Snow White". This fairy tale princess is not the only one who should be wary of apples, at least according to this idiom. You might be surprised to learn that the phrase "one bad apple" is actually an abridged version of another idiom, which states "One bad apple spoils the whole barrel".

This is rather interesting because, in modern times, this idiom is used to signify that the actions of a single individual don’t reflect the actions of the rest: A single "bad apple" is not a faithful representative. However, what’s curious is that this idiom’s original intent seems to suggest the exact opposite, and it rather describes how someone’s bad behavior can influence everyone in a group.

Image: Henry & Co.

This idiom is a rather roundabout way to suggest that someone is pregnant. The imagery is quite clear: In this picture, the "bun" represents the baby growing metaphorically in the "oven" that is a woman’s womb. Should you want to tell someone about a pregnancy while avoiding the ears of a noisy child listening, this phrase is perfect for you.

Curiously, the very first recorded use of this idiom comes from literature. In his 1951 novel The Cruel Sea, British author Nicholas Monserrat uses this phrase to describe the pregnancy of a sailor’s wife.

Image: Nathan Dumlao

We’ll end with what we believe to be the most interesting origin story in this list. The idiom "to butter someone up" means to flatter and treat someone nicely, often with an ulterior motive. At first glance this phrase is utterly flabbergasting: How could covering someone with this greasy milk product award you anything but their contempt? However, many historians suggest it might actually originate from an ancient Indian custom.

According to this theory, many believers throw balls of ghee (a type of clarified butter used in Indian cooking) at the statues of Hindu gods to gain their favor. While this origin has not been completely confirmed, it appears this literal act may have inspired the popular idiom.