Latin in Medicine and Science: From Anatomy to Prescriptions

How Latin shapes anatomy, medical terms and prescription abbreviations, with examples that show how to decode unfamiliar medical words.

Medicine and science still lean on Latin. Knowing a few roots makes hard words easier to decode.

Anatomy in Latin

Anatomical names are often Latin:

musculus ("little mouse", because a flexing muscle resembles a mouse under the skin) gives us muscle.
clāvicula ("little key") gives us clavicle, the collarbone.

Some prescription shorthand is still Latin, though many hospitals now avoid it:

Try subcutaneous:

So it means "under the skin". Similarly, intravenous is intrā (within) + vēna (vein).

English Latin Dictionary

Offline English–Latin dictionary for students, classics and word-origin lookups

How everyday Latin turned into the Romance languages, with side-by-side word comparisons that help you spot patterns.

A short tour of the major Roman writers, what each is famous for, and a famous opening line from each to practise reading.

The Latin terms still used in courts and legal writing, what each means literally, and how understanding the Latin helps you remember them.

Well-known Latin mottos of nations, schools, armed forces and universities, with word-by-word breakdowns and meanings.