What does epiploon mean?
Epiploon refers to the greater omentum, the large, apron-like fold of peritoneum that hangs from the stomach and drapes over the intestines within the abdominal cavity. Rich in fat and blood vessels, this structure plays a role in immune defence, helping to wall off sites of infection or injury within the abdomen. The word derives ultimately from Greek, where it was associated with the image of a sail floating upon water — a fitting metaphor for a broad sheet of tissue that floats over the organs beneath it. In contemporary medicine the term has largely given way to its Latin counterpart, 'omentum', and 'epiploon' now survives chiefly in historical anatomy texts and as a curiosity of medical vocabulary. Its adjective form, 'epiploic', still occasionally appears in clinical descriptions such as 'epiploic appendages'.
nounThe greater omentum: the fold of peritoneum that hangs down from the stomach over the intestines in the abdominal cavity.
- The greater omentum — the fatty, apron-like fold of peritoneum hanging from the stomach and covering the abdominal organs.
"The surgeon noted that the epiploon had adhered to the site of the inflammation."
"Inflammation had caused the epiploon to adhere to the parietal peritoneum."
"Classical anatomists described the epiploon as an apron of fat spread across the bowels."
The learned plural 'epiploa' follows the Greek-style neuter pattern; 'epiploons' also occurs in less formal contexts. Both are rare because the word itself is uncommon today.
"The treatise compared the epiploa described by Galen with modern accounts of the greater omentum."
Ancient anatomists thought this apron of tissue draped over your guts looked like a sail floating on water — so they named it after a ship's sail drifting on the sea.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of epiploon
Epiploon comes from the ancient Greek 'epiploun' (ἐπίπλουν), a term used by early anatomists for the omentum, formed from 'epi-' ('upon') and a root related to sailing or floating, evoking a sail drifting over water. It was adopted into Latin and passed into European anatomical terminology during the Renaissance revival of classical learning. Cognate English words sharing the Greek prefix 'epi-' include 'epidermis', 'epicenter', and 'epitome'.
Related word forms
How epiploon is actually used
A technical term of anatomy, now largely confined to historical texts and older medical literature; modern usage overwhelmingly prefers 'omentum' or 'greater omentum'. The anglicized plural 'epiploons' is sometimes seen, but the Latinate plural 'epiploa' appears in scholarly writing.