lithontripticlithonthrypticadj.n.

Etymology: < French lithontriptique or modern Latin lithontripticus (in the 17th cent. etymologically corrected to -thrypticus ), representing the Greek phrase (ϕάρμακα τῶν ἐν νεϕροῖς) λίθων θρυπτικά ‘(drugs) comminutive of stones (in the kidneys)’ (Galen), where λίθων is genitive plural of λίθος stone and θρυπτικός (neuter plural -κά ) an adjective < θρύπτειν to crush small, comminute. The spelling -tripticus gave rise to the notion that the word was derived < Greek τρίβ-ειν to rub, wear down, and the Physical Dict. 1657 gives a modern Latin lithontribon n., which seems to be meant for a Greek combination, as if λίθον τρῖβον ‘that which rubs down stone’. (Compare the medieval Latin litontripon , litotripon n., in glosses.) Some recent writers have substituted the more analogically formed lithotriptic adj. and n.