-rrhaphycomb. form
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Primary stress is attracted to the syllable immediately preceding this combining form and vowels may be reduced accordingly; see e.g.
palatorrhaphy n.Origin: A borrowing from Greek. Etymon: Greek -ρραϕία.
Etymology: < ancient Greek -ρραϕία (in e.g. κακορραϕία mischievousness) < -ρραϕος (in e.g. νευρορράϕος cobbler; < the base of ῥαπτειν to sew (see rhapsode n.); compare ῥαϕή seam, suture: see raphe n.2) + -ία -y suffix3.First attested in the early 18th cent. in gastrorrhaphy n., a borrowing, via French, of a Greek word. Formations within English are found from the early 19th cent., earliest in staphylorrhaphy n. Chiefly combining with first elements ultimately of Greek origin, although compare herniorrhaphy n. at hernio- comb. form , palatorrhaphy n. at palato- comb. form , with first elements of Latin origin. Compare post-classical Latin -rrhaphia (in e.g. gastroraphia (1590)), French -raphie, -rraphie (formations in which are found from at least the early 19th cent.).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2020).