splenica

Splenica is a Latin adjective used in anatomy to indicate relation to the spleen. It is the feminine nominative singular form that appears with feminine nouns in Latin phrases, and it is part of a larger family of spleen-related terms that also include splenicus (masculine) and splenicum (neuter). The English equivalent is the adjective splenic.

Etymology and form. The root splen- comes from the Latin word for the spleen, with standard Latin adjectival endings adding the -ica suffix to form splenica for feminine nouns. This mirrors how other anatomical terms are declined in Latin to agree with the gender of the noun they modify. In masculine or neuter contexts, related forms such as splenicus or splenicum are used.

Usage in terms. Splenica appears in common Latin anatomical phrases such as arteria splenica (the splenic artery) and vena splenica (the splenic vein). These and similar phrases illustrate how splenica functions as the agreeing adjective when the noun is feminine. When the noun is masculine or neuter, different endings are used (for example nervus splenicus, plexus splenicus).

Modern usage. In contemporary English-language anatomy, the adjective splenic is usually preferred over the Latin splenica. Latin terms persist in historical texts and in formal nomenclature of some databases or classical descriptions, but most current textbooks and references use splenic to describe structures related to the spleen.

See also. Spleen; splenic vein; splenic artery.