I am in a class called Basics of Medical Terminology (aka Words for Nerds). It is really great. It's like a game. Learning meanings and origins of all these prefixes, suffixes, roots, combining forms... a puzzle, a glorious, ordered puzzle.
Because I get so much joy and knowledge from this class, I have decided to bring the readers of this blog along for part of the ride. There is a standing assignment for those of us in the class that we must each bring in three words, their contexts, definitions, and etymologies for every class. Thus, I will be choosing two of my words each Monday and Wednesday to share with people who read this blog.

The words will always be in the following format:
"word of the day"- "context"- "definition"- "etymology"

Here are today's words:

pyometra- "Pyometra creates a 'third body spacing,' a space where fluid from the interstitial and intravascular spaces leak, in the uterus."- Accumulation of pus in the uterine cavity.- from Greek pyo- meaning pus and metra meaning uterus.

triskelions- "A small pit is formed with the assistance of clatherin triskelions."- A figure composed of three usually curved or bent branches radiating from a center.- from Greek by way of New Latin tri- meaning three and skelos meaning leg.

BONUS WORDS, LESS INFORMATION, BUT WAY MORE FUN!
pachymeningitis- an inflammation of the thick meninges
cardiorrhexis- broken (ruptured) heart
odynophobia- fear of pain