stomach [ME] The ultimate source of our word stomach is Greek stomakhos ‘gullet’, from stoma ‘mouth’, source of the anatomical term [L17th]. A common saying is the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. The earliest expression of these sentiments is by John Adams, the second American president, in a letter he wrote in 1814: ‘The shortest road to men’s hearts is down their throats’. See also nation.