Many anatomic structures are still known by names given when Greek, Arabic and Latin were the languages of learning. There are no accepted translations for most anatomic names, so these interesting links with the past remain in service.
Abduct
Latin
ab, away + ducere, pull.
Acetabulum
Latin
acteum, vinegar + abrum, holder. Small cup for vinegar, hence any small cup.
Acromion
Greek
acron, summit + omos, shoulder.
Adduct
Latin
ad, towards + ducere, pull.
Adrenal
Latin
ad, toward + ren, kidney.
Ala (alar)
Latin
ala, wing.
Alveolus (alveolar)
Latin
alveolus, small compartment.
Ampulla
Latin
ampulla, flask.
Anconeus
Greek
ancone, elbow.
Antecubital
Latin
ante, in front; cubitum, elbow.
Aponeurosis
Greek
apo, from: neuron, tendon. (Early Greek anatomists used neuron indiscriminately for nerves and tendons.)
Appendix
Latin
ad, toward; pendere, to hang. Hence appendage.
Arachnoid
Greek
arachne, spider; like a spider's web
Areola
Latin
areola, small area.
Arytenoid
Greek
arytaina, pitcher; the two cartilages, with the gap between them, look like the spout of a pitcher.
Atlas
Greek
Atlas, mythical figure; Atlas supports the world on his shoulders.
Atrium
Latin
atrium, court or hall.
Auricle
Latin
auricula, diminutive of auris, ear.
Axilla
Latin
axilla, armpit.
Axis
Greek
axon, axle or pivot.
Azygos
Greek
azygos, unyoked (not a pair) named for its asymmetry.
Calcaneus
Latin
calcar, spur.
Callosum
Latin
callus, hard.
Calvaria
Latin
calva, bald.
Canaliculus
Latin
canaliculus, little canal.
Capitate
Latin
caput, head; thus rounded or shaped like the head.
Carotid
Greek
karotides from karoun, to throttle.
Carpal
Greek
karpos, wrist.
Cauda equina
Latin
cauda equina, horse's tail.
Celiac
Greek
koilia, belly.
Cephalic
Arabic
alkifal, outer.
Cerebellum
Latin
cerebellum, little brain.
Cerebrum
Latin
cerebrum, brain.
Choanae
Latin
choana, funnel
Chorda
Latin
chorda, cord.
Chordae tendineae
Greek
corda, string; tendin, stretched.
Circumflex
Latin
circum, around; flexere, to bend.
Clavicle
Latin
clavis, key or fastener. An ancient window fastener was a stick with a double curve.
Clinoid
Greek
cline, bed; the c. processes are named for their resemblance to bed posts.
Clitoris
Greek
kleitoris, clitoris.
Coccyx
Greek
kokkyx, cuckoo; the bone has a fancied resemblance to a cuckoo's beak.
Colliculus
Latin
colliculus, little hill.
Concha
Greek
conche, cockleshell.
Condyle
Greek
kondylos, knob.
Conjunctiva
Latin
conjunctivus, joining together.
Conoid
Greek
konos, cone-shaped.
Coracoid
Greek
korax, crow; eidos, like; i.e. hooked like a crow's beak.
Cornea
Latin
cornea, horny.
Coronary
Greek
choronos, crown thus encircling.
Cranium
Greek
kranion, skull.
Cremaster
Greek
kremaster, suspender.
Cribriform
Latin
cribrum, sieve.
Cricoid
Greek
krikos, ring.
Crista galli
Latin
crista, crest; galli, barnyard cock
Cruciate
Latin
crux (crucis), a cross.
Crus (pl. crura)
Latin
crus (cruris), shin or leg; Used to name anything remotely resembling a leg.
Cuboid
Greek
kubos, cube; eidos, resembling.
Cuneiform
Latin
cuneus, wedge; forma, shape.
Dartos
Greek
dartos, skinned, flayed.
Deltoid
Greek
delta, the letter D, thus a triangle.
Denticulate
Latin
denticula, little tooth.
Diaphragm
Greek
diaphragma, partition.
Digastric
Greek
dis, double; gaster, belly
Digit
Latin
digitus, finger.
Diverticulum
Latin
diverticulum, by-way.
Dorsum sellae
Latin
dorsum, back; saddle, saddle, see Sella turcica.
Duodenum
Latin
duodenum, twelve; so named because it is 12 fingerbreadths in length.
Epicondyles
Greek
epi, upon; kondulos, knob.
Epididymis
Greek
epi, upon; didumos, testis.
Epigastric
Greek
epi, upon; gaster, stomach; originally used to designate the area of the abdomen overlying the stomach.
Epiglottis
Greek
epi, upon; glottis, mouth of the windpipe.
Epiploic
Greek
epiploon, omentum.
Esophagus
Greek
oisophagos, gullet.
Eversion
Latin
e-, out; vertere, to turn.
Falciform
Latin
falx, sickle; forma, shape.
Fallopian
(Named after Fallopius, Italian anatomist.)
Femoral
Latin
femur, thigh.
Fimbriae
Latin
fimbria, fringe.
Foramen
Latin
foramen, aperture, hole.
Fossa
Latin
fossa, trench or ditch, hence any concavity.
Frenum
Latin
frenum, bridle.
Hallux
Latin
hallux, great toe.
Hamulus
Latin
hamulus, little hook
Haustrum
Latin
haustrum, pouch.
Hepatic
Greek
hepar, liver.
Hiatus
Latin
hiare, to yawn; hence an opening.
Hilum
Latin
hilum, point of attachment of a seed.
Humerus
Latin
humerus, bone of the upper arm from G omos, shoulder.
Hyoid
Greek
u, letter U; eidos, like; i.e. U-shaped
Hypogastric
Greek
hupo, below; gaster, stomach; originally the area of the abdomen below the stomach.
Hypothenar
Greek
hypo, below; thenar, the palm.
Ileum
Greek
eileos, twisted.
Ilium
Greek
eilien, to twist, the twisted bone.
Infundibulum
Latin
infundibulum, funnel.
Inguinal
Latin
inguen, groin.
Innominate
Latin
innominatus, without a name.
Interosseous
Latin
inter, between; os, bone.
Inversion
Latin
in, in; vertere, to turn.
Ischium
Greek
ischion, socket of hip joint.
Lacerum
Latin
lacerus, torn.
Lacuna
Latin
lacuna, pit, hollow.
Lamina
Latin
lamina, thin plate.
Larynx
Greek
larynx, upper part of windpipe.
Latissimus dorsi
Latin
latissimus, the widest; dorsi, of the back.
Levator
Latin
levator, lifter.
Linea alba
Latin
linea, white; alba, line.
Linea aspera
Latin
linea, line; aspera, rough.
Lingula
Latin
lingula, little tongue.
Lumbrical
Latin
lumbricus, worm.
Lunate bone
Latin
luna, moon.
Malleolus
Latin
malleolus, small hammer.
Malleus
Latin
malleus, hammer.
Mamillary
Latin
mammila, little breast.
Manubrium
Latin
manubrium, handle or hilt of weapon.
Masseter
Greek
masseter, chewer.
Mastoid
Greek
mastos, breast; eidos, like.
Meatus
Latin
meatus, passage.
Medial
Latin
medius, middle.
Mediastinum
Latin
media, middle; stare, stand, i.e. midline partition.
Minimus
Latin
minimus, smallest.
Obturator
Latin
obturare, to occlude; obturator foramen was named because it is largely occluded by the obturator membrane.
Occipital
Latin
occipitum, back part of head.
Odontoid
Greek
odous, tooth; eidos, like.
Olecranon
Greek
olekranon, point of the elbow.
Olfactory
Latin
olere, to smell; facere, make.
Palpebral
Latin
palpebra, eyelid.
Pampiniform
Latin
pampinus, tendril + forma, shape.
Papillary
Latin
papilla, nipple.
Papyracea
Greek
papyros, papyrus, hence paper.
Parietal
Latin
paries, wall.
Parotid
Latin
para,beside; otos, ear.
Pectineus
Latin
pecten, comb.
Pectoralis
Latin
pectus, chest.
Pelvis
Latin
pelvis, basin.
Peritoneum
Greek
peri, around; teinein, stretch.
Peroneal
Latin
perone, fibula.
Pharynx
Greek
pharynx, throat.
Phrenic
Greek
phren, diaphragm.
Pineal
Latin
pinea, pine cone.
Piriform, piriformis
Latin
pirum, pear; forma, shape.
Pisiform
Latin
pisum, pea.
Pituitary
Latin
pituita, phlegm.
Plantar, plantaris
Latin
planta, sole of the foot.
Platysma
Greek
platysma, spread out flat.
Pollicis
Latin
pollex, thumb.
Popliteal
Latin
poples, back of the knee.
Porta
Latin
porta, doorway.
Prepuce
Latin
praeputium, foreskin.
Profundus
Latin
profundus, deep.
Pterygoid
Greek
pteryx, wing; eidos, like.
Pubis
Latin
pubes, adult; the part covered by pubic (i.e. adult) hair.
Pudendal
Latin
pudere, to be ashamed. Genitals (pudenda) were considered shameful parts.
Punctum
Latin
punctum, point.
Pylorus
Greek
pulouros, gate watcher.
Sacrum
Latin
sacer, sacred.
Salpinx
Greek
salpigx, trumpet.
Saphenous
Arabic
al safin, hidden.
Sartorius
Latin
sartor, tailor. The action of the muscle crosses the legs, in the position once assumed by tailors.
Scalene
Greek
skalenos, irregular, the scalene muscles were first described as a single muscle; they form an irregular triangle.
Scaphoid bone
Greek
skaphe, scooped out.
Sciatic
Greek
ischion, hip joint.
Sclera
Greek
skleros, hard.
Scrotum
Latin
scortum, leather purse.
Sella turcica
Latin
sella, saddle; turcica, Turkish
Serratus
Latin
serratus, saw-toothed.
Sesamoid
Greek
sesamon, sesame seed; eidos, resembling.
Soleus
Latin
solea, sole of foot; also sole, flat fish. Soleus muscle is named for the latter.
Sphenoid
Greek
sphen, wedge; eidos, like. The s. bone is wedged among the other bones.
Splanchnic
Greek
splanchna, bowels.
Squamous
Latin
squama, scale or plate.
Stapes
Latin
stapes, stirrup.
Styloid
Greek
stylos, pillar; eidos, like.
Symphysis
Greek
syn, together; physis, growth.
Tarsus
Greek
tarsos, flat basket also oar blade.
Tectorial
Latin
tectum, roof
Tentorium
Latin
tentorium, tent.
Thenar
Greek
thenar, palm.
Thorax
Greek
thorax, chest.
Thyroid
Greek
thyreos, shield.
Trabecula
Latin
trabecula, small timber or support.
Trachea
Greek
tracheia, rough; the t. is so called because of its ridged wall.
Tragus
Greek
tragos, goat, from small tuft of hair near the ear.
Trapezius
Greek
trapezion, four-sided figure with two parallel sides.
Triceps
Latin
tris, three; caput, head.
Trigeminal
Latin
trigeminus, triplet.
Triquetral
Latin
triquetrus, three-cornered.
Trochanter
Greek
trochanter, a roller.
Trochlea
Greek
trochilea, pulley.
Tubercle
Latin
tuberculum, small swelling.
Tympanic
Latin
tympanum, tambourine.