also gynaecology, "science of women's health and of the diseases peculiar to women," 1847, from French gynécologie, from Latinized form of Greek gynaiko-, combining form of gynē "woman, female," from PIE root *gwen- "woman." Second element is from French -logie "study of," from Greek (see -logy). Another word for it was gyniatrics.

also gynaecologist, 1851, from gynecology + -ist.

also gynaecological, 1858, from gynecology + -ical. Related: Gynecologically.

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "woman."

It forms all or part of: androgynous; banshee; gynarchy; gyneco-; gynecology; gynecomastia; gyno-; misogyny; polygyny; quean; queen.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit janis "a woman," gná "wife of a god, a goddess;" Avestan jainish "wife;" Armenian kin "woman;" Greek gynē "a woman, a wife;" Old Church Slavonic zena, Old Prussian genna "woman;" Gaelic bean "woman;" Old English cwen "queen, female ruler of a state, woman, wife;" Gothic qino "a woman, wife, qéns "queen."

c. 1400, dilatacioun, "act of expanding, expansion," especially "abnormal enlargement of an aperture of the body," from Old French dilatation and directly from Late Latin dilatationem (nominative dilatatio) "a widening," noun of state from past-participle stem of Latin dilatare "make wider, enlarge," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + lātus "broad, wide, widespread, extended" (see latitude). Also in Middle English "amplification in discourse" (late 14c.). In gynecology dilatation and curettage is by 1896.