Balneum

/ˈbælniəm/ noun

Definition

A Roman bath or bathing facility; the source word for the English 'bain' and the root of all balneo- words.

Etymology

From Latin balneum, the word Romans used for their elaborate bathing complexes (like the famous bathhouses). This is the etymological root underlying all balneo- medical terminology.

Kelly Says

Balneum is where all these crazy balneo- words come from—Roman bathhouses were so important to their culture that centuries later, the entire medical field studying baths is named after their word for the building itself!

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