J. J. Sylvester coined the term "matrix" in 1848. But what is the etymon of matrix?
matrix 1373, from O.Fr. matrice, from L. matrix (gen. matricis) "pregnant animal," in L.L. "womb," also "source, origin," from mater (gen. matris) "mother." Sense of "place or medium where something is developed" is first recorded 1555; sense of "embedding or enclosing mass" first recorded 1641. Logical sense of "array of possible combinations of truth-values" is attested from 1914.
How is womb connected to matrix? In the sense of origin? Or in the sense of source?
But wait, there is another word - matriculate. The etymon is matriculare - to register; to create a list. Could it be possible that Sylvester had coined matrix from matriculare? I do not know. Incidentally, the online etymological dictionary attributes the confusion to translation from Greek to Latin.
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