We are all familiar with the concept of our vital organs, but have you ever wondered why they are called organs in the first place? Well, the answer takes us to Greece, which should be no surprise considering so many medical terms are either Greek or Roman in origin.
In this instance, the term ‘organ’ comes from the Greek word ‘organon’, which roughly translates as meaning either tool or instrument. You would think that there should have been a better option available when it came to choosing a word to represent our heart, lungs, and so on, but then they are all instruments that keep us going, so perhaps it is more accurate than we would like to think.