'pre-cecal' originates from Latin and New Latin elements: the prefix 'pre-' from Latin 'prae' meaning 'before', and 'cecal' from New Latin/Latin 'caecum', meaning 'blind (intestinal pouch)'.

'pre-cecal' developed by combining the Latin-derived English prefix 'pre-' with the anatomical adjective 'cecal' (from Latin 'caecum'). The component 'caecum' passed through New Latin into English anatomical usage as 'cecum'/'cecal', and the compound formed in modern medical/biological English as 'pre-cecal'.

Initially constructed to denote position 'before the cecum' in anatomical description, and it has retained this specific locational/positional meaning in modern medical usage.