[1835–45; ‹ NL ōvāriotomia, equiv. to ōvāri(um) ovary + -o--o- + -tomia-tomy]This word is first recorded in the period 1835–45. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: catch-up, communism, hybridize, protein, squeegee-o- is the typical ending of the first element of compounds of Greek origin (as -i- is, in compounds of Latin origin), used regularly in forming new compounds with elementsof Greek origin and often used in English as a connective irrespective of etymology(Franco-Italian; geography; seriocomic; speedometer); -tomy is a combining form meaning “cutting, incision” of an organ, “excision” of an object,as specified by the initial element (appendectomy; lithotomy); also occurring in abstract nouns corresponding to adjectives ending in -tomous (dichotomy)