Etymograph

English

peritoneum

Peritoneum comes from Ancient Greek περιτόναιον ‘membrane which contains the lower viscera’, from περιτόναιος ‘stretched or strained over’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-1‘stretch’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tón-os1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tónos1‘rope, cord’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτόνος2‘something stretched’
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπερίτονος3‘covered with something stretched over’
  6. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπεριτόναιος4peritónaios‘stretched or strained over’
  7. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπεριτόναιον4peritónaion‘membrane which contains the lower viscera’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEperitonaeum4
  9. Englishtodayperitoneum4

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek τόνος
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek περίτονος
  3. 3 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek περιτόναιος
  4. 4 Wiktionary, English peritoneum

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-Wiktionary, Ancient Greek τόνος‘stretch’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tón-osWiktionary, Ancient Greek τόνοςreconstructed
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tónosWiktionary, Ancient Greek τόνος‘rope, cord’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτόνοςWiktionary, Ancient Greek περίτονος‘something stretched’
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπερίτονοςWiktionary, Ancient Greek περιτόναιος‘covered with something stretched over’
  6. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπεριτόναιοςWiktionary, English peritoneumperitónaios‘stretched or strained over’
  7. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπεριτόναιονWiktionary, English peritoneumperitónaion‘membrane which contains the lower viscera’
  8. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEperitonaeumWiktionary, English peritoneum
  9. EnglishtodayperitoneumWiktionary, English peritoneum

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘stretch’

continue, content, tight, maintenance, entertainment, obtain, tennis, contain, retain, continuous, sustain, tender, detention, tenant, continent, retention, tenor, rein, detain, tendon, continuum, abstain, abstinence, tenacious, pristine, sustenance, tenacity, pertinent, countenance, tetanus, tenet, tenement, incontinence, retinue, tantra, pertain, tenable, abstention, tendinitis, retentive, 68 more

through Ancient Greek τόνος ‘something stretched’

tune, tone, ton, tonic, 12 more

Today it means

noun In mammals, the serous membrane lining the cavity of the abdomen and that is folded over the viscera.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “peritoneum”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Ancient Greek τόνος, Ancient Greek περίτονος, Ancient Greek περιτόναιος. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ten- / peritoneum

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