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cathéter

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Etymology and origin of the French word cathéter

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1538 Jean Canappe, translation of Guy de Chauliac's Guidon More words from the 16th century
Borrowed from
Ancient Greek καθετήρ
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek καθίημι

Pronunciation

  • /ka.te.tɛʁ/[1]

Forms

cathéter m (plural cathéters)[1]

Etymology

The TLFi takes it directly borrowed from Ancient Greek καθετήρ (kathetḗr, “surgical instrument”), a word found in Galen;[2] the Grand Robert, the GLLF and the Petit Robert take it through the medical New Latin catheter.[3][4][5] The Greek noun is formed from καθίημι (kathíēmi, “to let down, send down”) with the agent suffix -τήρ (-tḗr).[1][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1538 in Jean Canappe's translation of the surgical manual (Guidon) of Guy de Chauliac.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The word has stayed a surgical term;[6] Littré describes it as a grooved probe passed through the urethra into the bladder to guide the surgeon's knife in the operation for stone.[6] Modern dictionaries define it more broadly as a rigid or flexible rod, hollow or solid, used to explore or widen a natural canal or a blood vessel, or to inject or draw off fluids.[2][5][4] The verb cathétériser “to insert a catheter” is recorded from 1838.[2]

Timeline

  • 1538 – First recorded, in Canappe's translation of Guy de Chauliac.[2][4]
  • 1838 – The derivative verb cathétériser.[2]
  • 1873 – Littré defines it as a grooved probe for operations on the bladder.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (medicine) A catheter: a hollow or solid rod passed into a natural canal, an orifice or a blood vessel to explore or widen it, or to inject or draw off fluids.[5][2][4]

Word family

  • cathétériser

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Cathéter.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/cath%C3%A9ter. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·