1826, gasteropod (spelling without -e- by 1854), from Modern Latin Gasteropoda, name of a class of mollusks, from Greek gaster (genitive gastros) "stomach" (see gastric) + pous (genitive podos) "foot," from PIE root *ped- (1) "a foot" (see foot (n.)). From the ventral position of the mollusk's "foot."[gastropod etymology, gastropod origin, 英语词源]