Gastropod comes from the scientific name Gastropoda, formed with gastro- and -pod. These animals typically move using a broad muscular foot on the underside.
The foot is a muscular body structure, not a human-style leg; the compound uses combining forms of the Greek bases.
Sources
- Collins: gastropod
Gastropoda is formed with gastro- and -pod; most gastropods move with a broad muscular ventral foot.
- Merriam-Webster: gastro-
Gastro- means stomach and comes from Greek gastr-, gastēr.
- Merriam-Webster: pod
The foot component derives from Greek pod-, pous.
- Online Etymology Dictionary: gastro-
Also built on Greek *gastēr* "stomach": gastric, gastrointestinal
- Merriam-Webster · gastropod
Meanings of the older forms on the word path.