thymus

Term: thymus

Origin:  Τhe word has the same root as ancient Greek name of culinary herb θύμος/thymos (=thyme, Thymus vulgaris), which in the ancient Greece is considered as a symbol of style, elegance and courage and it used  as an incense to cleanse holy areas. It is believed that its common name came from the Greek word "thumos", which means " spirit, soul» (Tegopoulos-Fitrakis Great Dictionary 1988") and Plato described thymos as the part of the soul comprising pride, indignation, shame, and the need for recognition.  

 > θύω/thio(=smoke)  and θυσία/thysia(=sacrifice)

Coined: for ancient Greeks it is considered that thymus is the seat of soul and by Galen was reffered as the “organ of mystery”

Definition:

Thymus is an organ situated in the center of the upper chest below the thyroid consisting mainly of lymphatic tissue and serving as the place of T cell differentiation (Τ cells). Thymus atrophies with age and is almost absent in the adult and in animals is known as sweetbreads.