Why Greek and Latin Still Matter—Especially in the Doctor’s Office
When my daughter told me her doctor was planning to do a hysterectomy , I was alarmed. She’s young. The idea of removing her uterus felt drastic and deeply concerning. But then the doctor clarified: he had said hysteroscopy , not hysterectomy. A big difference. That’s when my background kicked in. Because I knew: -ectomy means removal -scopy means to view or examine In other words, she wasn’t about to lose an organ—she was about to have it examined. This is why Greek and Latin still matter. Not just in dusty libraries, but in real, modern, high-stakes moments like these. ✨ Decoding Medical Mysteries Knowing classical languages is like having a decoder ring in your back pocket. Medical jargon that can sound intimidating suddenly becomes... understandable. Some examples: Gastrectomy – removal of the stomach ( gastro = stomach , ectomy = removal ) Gastroscopy – viewing the stomach Nephrology – study of the kidney ( nephros = kidney , logos = study ) Osteoporosis ...