anus (French)
Where does "anus" come from?
The French word 'anus' was borrowed directly from the Latin 'ānus', which originally meant 'ring'. This term traces back through Proto-Italic to the Proto-Indo-European word for ring, reflecting how a geometric shape became a physical anatomical description. Over time, the specific anatomical meaning became the primary use in French, distinct from its ancient roots as a general term for circular jewelry.
Full etymology tree
- anus (French), 'anus'
- borrowed ānus (Latin), 'a ring'
- inherited *ānos (Proto-Italic), 'ring'
- inherited *h₁eh₂nos (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *ānos (Proto-Italic), 'ring'
- borrowed ānus (Latin), 'a ring'
Ancestors
- anus (Latin)
Descendants and derived words
- anüs (Turkish)
Updated May 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris