In any field, terminology and precise definition help to bring clarity. We have not agreed on consistent terminology, and that can cause confusion, particularly to outsiders looking in.

Renal as the adjective identifying matters related to the kidney has been widely used for hundreds of years. Its roots are French or perhaps Latin. We remain familiar with renal physiology and renal failure for example.

Names for societies

When one of the first professional societies in the world for those interested in the kidney was founded in 1950 in the UK, The Renal Association was an obvious choice for its name. English is widely accepted as an international medical language, and renal has the advantage of being familiar to many of our European colleagues – French reine, Spanish riñón, Italian rene.

The term nephrology (derived from Greek, nephros = kidney) emerged in the 1950s as an alternative name for the clinical speciality.  Who first coined it remains a matter of opinion, with more than one active claimant. This will remain an arcane historical mystery since all the protagonists have now died.

By the time other major professional societies were being founded the preferred term was changing toward the Greek option: International Society of Nephrology (founded 1960), American Society of Nephrology (founded 1967). Although other choices were still made, for example European Renal Association.

Names for professionals

The Greek option has also become the most widely favoured term around the world for clinical specialists – nephrologists. The UK is a partial exception – most are known as nephrologists, but a significant minority as renal physicians. Some academics are styled as professors of nephrology, others as professors of renal medicine.

A new vocabulary was proposed in some English-speaking countries to simplify the alleged confusion, and possibly to make things simpler for patients:  kidney disease, kidney patient, kidney failure, kidney transplant, kidney unit, World Kidney Day. And for nephrologists being asked to describe their day job …… kidney doctor. That seems superficially appealing, but as may be followed by a diagnosis such as glomerulonephritis, or a treatment as complicated as dialysis, you might wonder whether the effort is adequately rewarded.

Universal simplification will remain elusive

The suggestion that kidney might universally replace nephrology and renal is both Anglocentric and unlikely, as ‘kidney’ is a meaningless term in most languages. Many European nations use words for kidney based on the Latinate ‘renal’: for example French reine, Spanish riñón, Italian rene. However most others use entirely different words for kidney  (read a list).

Images on this page are Google ngrams showing use of words or phrases in texts from 1800-2022

Authorship

First published October 2022

Last Updated on April 4, 2025 by neilturn