late 14c., hirnia, from Latin hernia "a rupture," related to hira "intestine," from PIE root *ghere- "gut, entrail." The re-Latinized spelling of the English word is from 17c. Related: Herniated (1819).
Entries linking to hernia
*ghere-
*gherə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "gut, entrail."
It forms all or part of: Chordata; chordate; chord (n.2) "structure in animals resembling a string;" chorion; cord; cordon; harpsichord; haruspex; hernia; notochord; yarn.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit hira "vein; band;" Latin hernia "rupture;" Greek khorde "intestine, gut-string;" Lithuanian žarna "guts, leather bag;" Old English gearn, Old High German garn "yarn" (originally made of dried gut), Old Norse gorn "gut."
hernial adj.
early 15c., from Medieval Latin hernialis, from hernia (see hernia).
herniation n.
1875, from hernia (q.v.) + -ation, element forming nouns of action.