bowel etymology

Etymology:

  • From Middle English bowel, bouel, from Old English bōl ("bowl, belly"), from Proto-Germanic *buglaz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewǵʰ- ("to bend, arch").

Meaning:

  • A tubular organ in the digestive system that extends from the stomach to the anus and is responsible for the absorption of nutrients from food and the elimination of waste.
  • A cavity or receptacle, especially in the body.

Origin:

The word "bowel" ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰewǵʰ-, meaning "to bend, arch." This root is also the source of the words "bow," "elbow," and "bowel."

The Proto-Germanic form *buglaz originally referred to the part of the body that bends, namely the abdomen or belly. Over time, the meaning narrowed to the specific tube-like organ within the abdomenresponsible for digestion and elimination.

In Old English, the word "bōl" referred both to the bowl-shaped cavity of the abdomen and to the tubular organ within it. The word "bowel" in its modern form emerged in Middle English as a specialized term for the digestive tube.

In addition to its biological meaning, the word "bowel" can also be used figuratively to refer to the innermost part of something, such as the "bowels of the earth."

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