Etymology

cartilage

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Today it means: A usually translucent and somewhat elastic, dense, nonvascular connective tissue found in various forms in the larynx and respiratory tract, in structures such as the external ear, and in the articulating surfaces of joints. It composes most of the skeleton of vertebrate embryos, being replaced by bone during ossification in the higher vertebrates. Full definition →

French cartilage ← Latin cartilāgō
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromcartilāgō
  2. French · borrowed fromcartilage
  3. English todaycartilage

Borrowed from French cartilage, from Latin cartilāgō. Partially displaced native gristle, from Old English gristel.

Words from the same roots

Latincartilāgō all →

cartilaginification

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.