patency
|pa-ten-cy|
/ˈpeɪtənsi/
state of being open / clear
Etymology
'patency' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'patentia' (from the verb 'patere'), where 'patere' meant 'to lie open' or 'to be open'.
'patency' passed into Medieval Latin as 'patentia', then into Old/Middle French as 'patence' and Middle English as 'patency', eventually becoming the modern English word 'patency'.
Initially it meant 'the state of being open' (literally 'lying open'); over time it retained that physical/medical sense and also acquired the broader sense of 'obviousness' or 'manifestness'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or condition of being open and unobstructed (especially of a bodily passage, duct, or vessel).
The surgeon confirmed the patency of the artery after the procedure.
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Noun 2
the quality of being clear, obvious, or manifest; evidentness.
The patency of her argument made the conclusion straightforward.
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Last updated: 2025/08/30 02:05