ren

Concepts

kidney

hematite

Synonyms

ginjal

Translations

Niere

rene

rein

ronyó

nier

rim

böbrek

riñón

νεφρό

νεφρός

νεφρί

ren

rognon

كلي

Pronounced as (IPA)

[ˈreːn]

Etymology

Uncertain. Several etymologies proposed:
* From Proto-Italic *hrēn, cognate with Ancient Greek φρήν (phrḗn, “heart, midriff, mind”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰrḗn (“an internal part of the body”).
* Earlier *srēn, cognate with Old Prussian straunay, Lithuanian strė́nos, srė́nos f pl (“loins”), Latvian striena (“loins”) and Avestan 𐬭𐬁𐬥𐬀- (rāna-, “thigh”), from Proto-Indo-European *srḗn (“hip, loins”). Further disputed connection with Ancient Greek ῥάχις (rhákhis, “spine, chine”).
* Cognate with Tocharian A āriñc, Tocharian B arañce (“heart”) and Hittite 𒄩𒄩𒊑 (ḫa-ḫa-ri- /⁠ḫaḫri-⁠/, “lungs ~ midriff ?”) (exact meaning uncertain), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₂-ri-, *h₂eh₂-r-en- (“an internal organ”). Compare also Old Irish áru and Welsh aren (“kidney”).
* Less likely due to phonetic difficulties, continuing *regn(o)-, metathesized from earlier *negr(o)- (< *neɣr(o)-), related to Proto-Italic *neɣʷrō (“kidney, testicle”) (see there for related Latin words).