antrum
|an-trum|
/ˈæntrəm/
cavity, hollow
Etymology
'antrum' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'antrum', which was borrowed from Greek 'ántron', where 'ántron' meant 'cave'.
'antrum' entered English via Medieval Latin as 'antrum' and retained a similar form into modern English as the anatomical term 'antrum'.
Initially it meant 'cave' or 'cavern' in a general sense, but over time it specialized to mean 'an anatomical cavity or chamber' in medical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an anatomical cavity or chamber, especially a cavity in a bone (e.g., the mastoid antrum).
The surgeon accessed the mastoid antrum to drain the infection.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the lower portion of the stomach (gastric antrum), just before the pylorus.
Biopsies were taken from the gastric antrum.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/13 04:10