penis
/ˈpiːnɪs/
noun
Origin
Latin
pēnēs — tail, penis
Overview
Meaning Now
- The male organ of copulation in higher vertebrates, including humans.
Literal older meaning
tail
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Latin → English
Earliest form
penis
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The word was borrowed from Latin into English in the late 17th century, primarily as a technical term for anatomical dissection and medical writing, avoiding the more common or vernacular terms of the period.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*pes-
“penis”
Reconstructed base meaning 'penis' or 'tail'.
- Latin
pēnēs
“tail, penis”
- English
penis
“male organ of copulation”
Introduced as a medical and scientific term.
Connections
Word parts
penis
root
male reproductive organ
Related across languages
Sanskrit
pásas
penis
Greek
pósthē
penis
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Related to penis
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.