Hepatorrhoea

/ˌhɛpətəˈriːə/ noun

Definition

British spelling variant of hepatorrhea; an abnormal flow or discharge from the liver.

Etymology

From Greek 'hepar' (liver) + 'rrhoia' (flow, discharge), using the doubled 'rh' characteristic of British medical terminology. This is an alternative spelling reflecting British medical conventions.

Kelly Says

The British preference for 'rh' over 'r' in medical terminology (like 'haemorrhage' vs. 'hemorrhage') comes from Greek borrowings where 'rh' represented the Greek letter rho, and British medicine has retained these classical spellings more stubbornly than American medicine.

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