hyster(o)-

Uterus.

Greek hustera, womb.

A hysterectomy (Greek ektomē, excision) is removal of the uterus; a hysteroscope (or uteroscope) is an instrument for inspecting the interior of the uterus; hysterography is the use of x-rays and related techniques to assess the condition of the uterus. The medical condition called hysteria involving exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement was once thought to be exclusively a female condition, due to a malfunction of the womb. Hysteresis, a retardation or lagging of the production of an effect after its cause, comes instead from Greek husteros, later.