Why is the word 'abdominal' formed of an altered spelling of 'abdomen'? I have noticed other words similar, but none spring to mind; is there a name for them?
1 Answer
I appears it is because of its etymology, from the genitive of abdomen, (and the French abdominal), abdominal:
- 1550s, from medical Latin abdominalis, from abdomen (genitive abdominis).
(etymonline)
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Surely, @HotLicks , if Josh is right and the word is abdomen in Latin in some nominative or accusative case but abdominis in the genitive (I don't know the language myself), then it makes perfect sense that our noun take the nom/acc form and adjective the gen?– DanApr 15, 2015 at 14:58
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@DanSheppard - I think abdominis entered the French language first, then became part of the English language. French/Spanish, abdomen - abdominal. Italian, addome - addominali. Same process for all languages that adoped the term.– user66974Apr 15, 2015 at 15:14