Etymology of Orthopedics – How Its Meaning Changed Over Time
What does orth/o/pedics have to do with bones?
During a recent class meeting, the combining form orth/o was incorrectly defined as “bone.” Given the modern meaning of orthopedics, it is easy to understand why. Let’s take a moment to review definitions of combining forms, then consider the evolution (etymology) of the term:
| Combining Form | Definition |
| orth/o | straight |
| oste/o | bone |
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