Word of the day: viscus

The word of the day is viscus: 

— noun

1. singular of viscera.

viscus²

— plural noun, singular vis·cus .

1. Anatomy, Zoology . the organs in thecavities of the body, especially thosein the abdominal cavity.
2. (not used scientifically) the intestines; bowels.

"inner organs of the body," 1651, from L.viscera, pl. of viscus "internal organ," ofunknown origin.(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/viscus)

"Lamarck, according to Cuvier, was a fantasist.  Like the 'enchanted palaces of our old romances,' his theories were built on 'imaginary foundations,' so that while they might 'amuse the imagination of a poet,' they could not 'for a moment bear the examination of anyone who has dissected a hand, a viscus, or even a feather.'"

 - Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: an Unnatural History