THYROID

thyroid = thyreo + eides Greek, like a door-shaped (shield) < thyra Greek, door

The thyroid cartilage was named first. It shields the vocal cords of the larynx. This cartilage (cartilago Latin, gristle) sticks out in front of the neck and is called the Adam's apple. A thyreos was an ancient Greek army shield shaped like a door (thyra), with a notch at the top for the soldier's chin. Gently feel the top of your Adam's apple. It has a notch. Thyroid is a fitting name, isn't it?

The last part of the Greek word comes from eidos form, likeness. It gives us the very common English suffix -oid.

The thyroid gland was named after the thyroid cartilage. This gland has a lobe on each side of the Adam's apple. It makes several hormones including thyroxine that controls the rate of chemical reactions in the body, that is, it helps control the metabolic rate. The thyroid gland needs iodine to make thyroxine. If there is a lack of iodine in the diet, the gland must work overtime and may become enlarged and huge. This enlarging of the thyroid is simple goiter (goitron Old French, throat). Calcitonin is also a thyroid hormone that controls blood calcium.

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