Etymology
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pachy-

word-forming element in science meaning "thick, large, massive," from Latinized form of Greek pakhys "thick, fat, well-fed, dense, stout,"  from PIE *bhengh- "thick, fat" (source also of Sanskrit bahu- "much, numerous;" Avestan bazah- "height, depth;" Armenian bazum "much;" Hittite pankush "large," panku- (adj.) "total;" Old Norse bingr "heap," Old High German bungo "a bulb;" Latvian biezs "thick").

Entries linking to pachy-

pachycephalic (adj.)

in zoology, "thick-headed," by 1862, from pachy- "thick, large" + -cephalic. Related: Pachycephalous (1890).

pachyderm (n.)

1838, from French pachyderme (c. 1600), adopted as a biological term for non-ruminant hoofed quadrupeds 1797 by French naturalist Georges Léopole Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert, Baron Cuvier (1769-1832), from Greek pakhydermos "thick-skinned," from pakhys "thick, large, massive" (see pachy-) + derma "skin" (from PIE root *der- "to split, flay, peel," with derivatives referring to skin and leather). Cuvier's order of Pachydermata is now disused in zoology, but pachyderm remains in common use to describe elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, etc. Related: Pachydermal; pachydermic; pachydermatous.

pachysandra (n.)

genus of small, evergreen plants, 1813, from Modern Latin (Andre Michaux,1803), from Greek pakhys "thick" (see pachy-) + anēr (genitive andros) "man" (from PIE root *ner- (2) "man"), which is used in botany to mean "stamen, having stamens" (the plant is notable for its four stamens).

updated on December 04, 2019

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Dictionary entries near pachy-

paca

pace

pacemaker

pacer

pachinko

pachy-

pachycephalic

pachyderm

pachysandra

pacific

pacification

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