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xylospongium

Today it means: A Greek and Roman utensil consisting of a sea sponge fixed to the end of a wooden stick, typically thought to have been used for anal hygiene or as a toilet brush. Full definition →

Latin xylospongium ← Ancient Greek ξῠλοσπόγγῐον

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Ancient Greek · derived fromξῠλοσπόγγῐον
Latin · borrowed fromxylospongium
English todayxylospongium

From Latin xylospongium, from Ancient Greek ξῠλοσπόγγῐον (xŭlospóngĭon), diminutive of ξῠλόσπογγος (xŭlóspongos). By surface analysis, xylo- (“wood”) + sponge.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.