endoscope
noun
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The Greek prefix endo- means "within, inside", so around 1860 an early crude instrument for looking deep inside the body was named the endoscope. But modern endoscopy required the invention of the electric lightbulb and then fiber-optic cable, so the first modern endoscopes date only to 1967. An endoscope may be inserted through a natural passageway (for example, through the nose or down the esophagus) or through a tiny cut in the skin. A tiny camera with a light at the end of the cable sends back images onto a screen, and the surgeon uses special instruments that work through a tube alongside the cable. There are now specialized types of endoscopes for every part of the body, where they can take tissue samples, cut out small growths, or remove foreign objects.
Examples of endoscope in a Sentence
Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 10 June 2024
The green light could be administered externally if the infection site isn't too deep within the body, or administered internally via an endoscope.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 13 June 2025
There's a light attached to the end of the endoscope for easy viewing in hard-to-reach spots.
—Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 10 June 2024
Colonoscopy: For this medical test, your healthcare provider uses an endoscope to look inside your colon (large intestine).
—Sayaka Blickenderfer, Phd, Health, 14 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Endoscope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endoscope. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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endoscope
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endoscope
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