Etymology and Facial Plastic Surgery

Abstract

Although medical specialties are created and redefined in each generation, historic names help describe their essential characteristics. The Greek and Latin roots of facial plastic surgery are all concerned with Face is derived from Latin facies —form, figure, appearance hence face, visage.... The exact etymology of Latin facies is uncertain: some scholars refer it facere, make; others root fa -, appear, shine.... Plastic is from Greek πλασσ∈lv , to mould, form. Surgery is derived most recently from Latin surgia , the art and practice of treating injuries, deformities, and other disorders by manual operations or instrumental appliances; it originally came, however, from Greek word for handwork, X∈lp ∈pyou . ( Cosmetic comes from Greek koσμηTl k os , having power adorn, embellish, or beautify. Interestingly, Greek root koσμos is same as cosmos , arrange and, thus, an ordered arrangement.)