title: Otorhinolaryngology or otolaryngology? An etymological approach.
abstract: The variety and the confusion over the name of many medical terms, including otorhinolaryngological ones prompted us to search their etymology. The term "otorhinolaryngology" (combined form from the ancient Greek words :ous, rhina, larynx, and logos) and the term indicating the specialized doctor who practices "0torhinolaryngology," widely known as ENT in a brief version, are being examined. The investigation leads us to see which of these terms is the appropriate and etymologically correct one, and to support clearly the term "otorhinolaryngology" instead of "otolaryngology" and "otorhinolaryngologist" instead of "ENT."
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical School of Crete, University of Crete, Heraklion-Crete, Greece. secret_ent@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ioanna A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ramoutsaki
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bizakis
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ramoutsakis
authors.forename: Argyro J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bizakis
authors.forename: Emmanuel S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Helidonis
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010036:Otolaryngology; D009626:Terminology as Topic