'precordial' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'praecordium', where 'prae-' meant 'before' and 'cor/cordis' meant 'heart'.

'precordial' changed from the Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'praecordium' and the adjective form (Medieval/New Latin) 'praecordialis' / 'precordialis', and eventually entered modern English as 'precordial'.

Initially, it meant 'the region in front of the heart', and over time it has retained this anatomical meaning as the modern adjective 'precordial'.