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urinarius

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word urinarius

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
Ultimate origin
Latin ūrīna
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin ūrīna
English urine
Latin ūrīnārius
English urinary
From the same root
Latin ūrīnor ← ūrīna

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [uː.riːˈnaː.ri.ʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [u.riˈnaː.ri.us][1]

Forms

ūrīnārius (feminine ūrīnāria, neuter ūrīnārium); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin ūrīna + -ārius, from the noun for urine with the adjective suffix.[2][1]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it means “of urine”: the anatomist D. Edwardes calls the ureters the urinarii meatus, the urinary passages.[2] Used as a noun, feminine urinaria or neuter urinarium, it named a vessel for urine, a chamber pot;[2] Osbern of Gloucester's Derivationes explains it as a vessel for receiving urine, and the Catholicon Anglicum glosses English “jordan” and “urynalle” with it.[2] From the New Latin adjective English took urinary.[3]

Timeline

  • 1570s – English borrows the New Latin adjective as urinary.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin, New Latin) Of or relating to urine, urinary.[2][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin, as a noun, feminine or neuter) A pot for urine, chamber pot.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Urinarius.” Etymologically, 8 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/urinarius. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·