catarrh
Meaning
a medical condition where a lot of mucus is produced in the nose and throat, especially when you have a cold
Structure
Usage
he was suffering from a severe case of catarrh and a persistent cough.
the cold weather often aggravates my sinus problems and leads to catarrh.
traditional remedies were often used to try and clear the congestion caused by catarrh.
Etymology
the word 'catarrh' has a direct and descriptive origin in ancient greek medicine. it is formed from the combination of 'kata-' meaning 'down' and '-rrhoia' meaning 'a flowing'. this literally described the condition of 'flowing down', referring to the excess mucus draining from the head and sinuses down into the throat. this humoral theory term was adopted into late latin as 'catarrhus' and entered middle english via old french. the modern medical sense retains this core logic of an excessive downward discharge, though our understanding of the physiology has evolved.
Analysis
cata: from greek 'kata', meaning 'down'. rrh: from greek 'rhein', meaning 'to flow', forming nouns denoting a flow or discharge.