An eponym is a person for whom something is named, and an eponymous term is a term that uses that name or eponym. For example, fallopian tube is named for Gabriele Fallopio, an Italian anatomist of the 16th century. In recent years it has been suggested that eponymous terms be avoided because they are not descriptive and that they be replaced with more informative terms. Such changes, however, occur slowly, because the older terms are so familiar to those of us who teach. Some of us may even use them as opportunities to impart a little history, also known as “telling stories.”
In this post, the most familiar eponymous terms have been retained, with the newer term in parentheses
after the first usages. The list below is provided to show the extent of reclassification of eponymous terms as related to basic anatomy and physiology.
