Etymology

galactorrhea

G2A1L1A1C3T1O1R1R1H4E1A1

Today it means: Lactation (the secretion of milk from nipples) that is not associated with childbirth or nursing. Full definition →

Ancient Greek ῥοία (rhoía) ← Proto-Hellenic *hréwō ← Proto-Indo-European *sréweti
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The story

  1. Ancient Greekγᾰ́λᾰ (gắlă)
  2. Ancient Greekγάλακτ- (gálakt-)
  3. Englishgalacto-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*ser-?
  5. Proto-Indo-European*srew-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*sréweti
  7. Proto-Hellenic*hréwō
  8. Ancient Greekῥέω (rhéō)
  9. Ancient Greekῥοία (rhoía)
  10. English todaygalactorrhea

From galacto- + -rrhea, from Ancient Greek γάλακτος (gálaktos, “milk”) + ῥέω /ῥοία (rhéō, “flow”).

Words from the same roots

Ancient Greekγάλακτος all →

galactosegalactagogue

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.