| choline isolated from pig and ox bile |
|
acetyl |
chol |
|
ine |
|
acetylcholine |
|
|
|
chol |
in[e] ester |
ase |
|
acetylcholinesterase |
|
|
|
acid |
|
|
|
acid |
| derived from the pancreas of an ox |
|
|
aden |
|
ine |
|
adenine |
|
|
adip/o |
cyt/e |
|
|
|
adipocyte |
| able to live only if oxygen is present; exercise that uses oxygen as a fuel source |
|
aero |
b[ios] |
|
ic |
|
aerobic |
| Arabic al-kuhul |
|
|
alcoh[ol] |
|
ol |
|
alcohol |
|
|
|
alkal[i] |
|
ine |
|
alkaline |
| German allelomorph, from Greek allel+morphē "other form" |
|
|
allele |
|
|
|
allele |
|
amphi |
|
path |
|
ic |
|
amphipathic |
| Greek ana- "upward" + Greek -ballein "throw" |
ana |
|
bol |
|
ic |
|
anabolic |
| able to live if oxygen is absent (e.g. inside a closed wound); exercise when oxygen is unavailable as a fuel source |
an |
aero |
b[ios] |
|
ic |
|
anaerobic |
|
ana |
|
phase |
|
|
|
anaphase |
|
anti |
|
body |
|
|
|
antibody |
|
anti |
|
parallel |
|
|
|
antiparallel |
| Latin portare, "carry" |
anti |
|
port |
|
|
|
antiport |
|
|
|
ap[ex] |
|
ical |
|
apical |
| Greek krīnō, "to separate" |
apo |
|
crine |
|
|
|
apocrine |
| Greek apo- "separation" + Greek -ptosis "falling off", the shedding of leaves in the autumn or flower petals |
apo |
|
ptosis |
|
|
|
apoptosis |
|
|
astro |
cyte |
|
|
|
astrocyte |
|
|
astro |
glia |
|
|
|
astroglia |
| Greek "indivisible" |
a |
|
tom |
|
|
|
atom |
|
auto |
|
some |
|
|
|
autosome |
|
a |
|
vascul[um] |
|
|
|
avascular |
|
|
|
bas[e] |
|
al |
|
basal |
| adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine and uracil are collectively called "bases". They form pairs that hold the two "rungs" of the "twisted ladder" (double helix) of DNA together |
|
|
base |
pair |
|
|
base pair |
|
bi |
|
layer |
|
|
|
bilayer |
|
|
blasto |
cyst |
|
|
|
blastocyst |
|
|
carbo |
hydr |
|
ate |
|
carbohydrate |
| Greek kata- "down" + Greek ballein "throw" |
cata |
|
bol |
|
|
|
catabolic |
| Greek kata- "down, completely" + Greek lyein "loosen" |
cata |
|
lyze |
|
|
|
catalyze |
|
|
|
centri |
|
ole |
|
centriole |
|
|
centr/o |
mere |
|
|
|
centromere |
|
|
centr/o |
some |
|
|
|
centrosome |
| Greek khole, "bile" + steros, "stiff" (found in gallstones) |
|
chole |
ster[os] |
|
ol |
|
cholesterol |
|
|
chondr/o |
cyte |
|
|
|
chondrocyte |
|
|
|
chromat |
|
in |
|
chromatin |
|
|
chrom/o |
some |
|
|
|
chromosome |
|
|
|
cilia |
|
|
|
cilia |
|
|
|
cod[e] |
|
on |
|
codon |
|
|
|
coll |
|
oid |
|
colloid |
|
|
|
column |
|
ar |
|
columnar |
|
|
|
cub[e] |
|
oid |
al |
cuboidal |
|
|
cyto |
kine |
|
sis |
|
cytokinesis |
|
|
|
cyt/o |
plasm |
|
|
cytoplasm |
| DNA and RNA base isolated from cells |
|
|
cyt |
|
os[e] |
ine |
cytosine |
|
|
cyto |
skelet |
|
on |
|
cytoskeleton |
|
|
cyto |
sol[ution] |
|
|
|
cytosol |
|
de |
|
hydr/a |
|
tion |
|
dehydration |
|
de |
|
natur[e] |
a |
tion |
|
denaturation |
|
de |
oxy |
ribose |
|
|
|
deoxyribose |
|
|
|
diffus |
|
ion |
|
diffusion |
|
di |
|
ploid |
|
|
|
diploid |
| Latin dominari "to rule, govern" |
|
|
dominant |
|
|
|
dominant |
|
|
|
elast[ic] |
|
in |
|
elastin |
|
|
electr/o |
lys[e] |
|
is |
|
electrolysis |
| electro- + Greek lytos "loosed" (past of lyein "loosen") |
|
electr/o |
lyte |
|
|
|
electrolyte |
| electro- + Latin magnetum, magnetic stone mined in Magnesia, a province in Greece (Thessaly). The name of the element magnesium, which is not magnetic, comes from the same geographic source. |
|
electr/o |
magnet |
|
|
|
electromagnetic |
| Latin electrum, "amber", because when you rub amber it gives off electrons |
|
|
electr |
|
on |
|
electron |
|
end[o] |
|
ergon |
|
ic |
|
endergonic |
|
endo |
|
cyt |
|
osis |
|
endocytosis |
|
endo |
|
plasm |
|
ic |
|
endoplasmic |
| Greek endo- + Greek thēlē, "nipple". Formed backwards from "internal epithelium". |
endo |
|
thel[e] |
|
ium |
|
endothelium |
|
endo |
|
therm[o] |
|
ic |
|
endothermic |
|
en |
|
trop |
|
y |
|
entropy |
|
en |
|
zyme |
|
|
|
enzyme |
| The root word genetic was coined by Carlyle 1831 as fake-Greek genetikos from Greek root genesis "origin" |
epi |
|
genet |
|
ic |
|
epigenetic |
| Also called adrenaline. Named this because it was first isolated from the adrenal medulla, a gland on top of the kidney. |
epi |
|
nephr |
|
ine |
|
epinephrine |
|
epi |
|
thel[e] |
|
ium |
|
epithelium |
|
|
erythr/o |
cyt/e |
|
|
|
erythrocyte |
|
|
erythr/o |
cyt |
|
osis |
|
erythrocytosis |
| Estrus (the reproductive cycle in most mammals) + –gen. Humans menstruate monthly; most mammals go through estrus twice a year. |
|
|
estr[us]o |
|
gen |
|
estrogen |
|
|
|
ethan[e] |
|
ol |
|
ethanol |
|
eu |
|
chromat |
|
in |
|
euchromatin |
| Greek eu– + Greek karyon "nut" |
eu |
|
karyo |
|
tic |
|
eukaryotic |
|
ex[o] |
|
ergon |
|
ic |
|
exergonic |
|
exo |
|
cyt |
|
osis |
|
exocytosis |
| From ex[pressed] + [regi]on |
|
|
ex[pressed] |
[regi]on |
|
|
exon |
|
exo |
|
therm[o] |
|
|
|
exothermic |
|
extra |
|
cell |
|
ul[e] |
ar |
extracellular |
|
|
fibro |
blast |
|
|
|
fibroblast |
|
|
|
fruct |
|
ose |
|
fructose |
|
|
|
gamete |
|
|
|
gamete |
|
|
|
gastr |
|
ula |
tion |
gastrulation |
| The root word genetic was coined by Carlyle 1831 as fake-Greek genetikos from Greek root genesis "origin" |
|
geno |
type |
|
|
|
genotype |
| Short for neuroglia: neuro + Greek glia, "glue" |
|
|
glia |
|
|
|
glia |
|
|
gluco |
neo |
genes |
is |
|
gluconeogenesis |
| Greek gleukos, "sweet wine"; it gave its ending to sugars of all sorts |
|
|
gluc |
|
ose |
|
glucose |
| Greek glukeros, "sweet" |
|
|
glycer |
|
ol |
|
glycerol |
|
|
|
glyc/o |
|
gen |
|
glycogen |
|
|
|
glyc/o |
|
gen/o |
lysis |
glycogenolysis |
|
|
|
glyc/o |
|
lysis |
|
glycolysis |
|
|
glyc/o |
prot[o] |
|
ein |
|
glycoprotein |
| French gobelet, "cup", in this case a cup of mucus, which is kinda disgusting. |
|
|
gob[e]let |
|
|
|
goblet |
| Originally isolated from bat poop |
|
|
guan[o] |
|
ine |
|
guanine |
| Greek haplo, "single" + ploos, "fold" |
ha[plo] |
|
ploid |
|
|
|
haploid |
|
|
|
hem/o |
glob |
in |
|
hemoglobin |
|
hetero |
|
chromat |
|
in |
|
heterochromatin |
|
|
|
hist/o |
|
logy |
|
histology |
|
|
|
hist |
|
one |
|
histone |
|
holo |
|
crine |
|
|
|
holocrine |
|
|
|
hydro |
|
lysis |
|
hydrolysis |
|
|
hydro |
phil |
|
ic |
|
hydrophilic |
|
|
hydro |
phob |
|
ic |
|
hydrophobic |
|
|
|
chol/e |
ster[oid] |
ol |
emia |
hypercholesterolemia |
|
hyper |
|
kal[ium] |
|
emia |
|
hyperkalemia |
|
hyper |
|
natr[ium] |
|
emia |
|
hypernatremia |
|
hyper |
|
ton |
|
ic |
|
hypertonic |
|
hypo |
|
kal[ium] |
|
emia |
|
hypokalemia |
|
hypo |
|
natr[ium] |
|
emia |
|
hyponatremia |
|
hypo |
|
ton |
|
ic |
|
hypotonic |
|
|
|
immuno |
glob |
ul[e] |
in |
immunoglobulin |
| Latin insula, "island", because it comes from the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas |
|
|
insul[a] |
|
in |
|
insulin |
|
inter |
|
phase |
|
|
|
interphase |
| intr[agenic] + [regi]on |
intr |
|
[genic] |
[regi]on |
|
|
intron |
|
|
|
ion |
|
ic |
|
ionic |
| Greek iso– "equal" + Greek meros, "part" |
iso |
|
mer |
|
|
|
isomer |
|
iso |
|
ton |
|
ic |
|
isotonic |
| Greek isos "equal" + topos "place". Having the same place in the periodic table. |
iso |
|
top[os] |
|
|
|
isotope |
|
|
keto |
acid |
|
osis |
|
ketoacidosis |
| Gmelin coined in 1851 by dropping the "a" from German Aketon, derived from Latin acetum "vinegar, acid" + Greek-based chemical suffix –one |
|
|
ket[o] |
|
one |
|
ketone |
|
|
|
kin |
|
ase |
|
kinase |
| Latin lac, "milk" + –ose, chemical ending for sugars from mid-1800s French chemists |
|
|
lact |
|
ose |
|
lactose |
|
|
|
lamina |
|
|
|
lamina |
| Spanish la reata "the rope" |
|
|
lariat |
|
|
|
lariat |
|
|
leuk/o |
cyt/e |
|
|
|
leukocyte |
|
|
leuk/o |
cyt |
|
osis |
|
leukocytosis |
| Latin ligandus, "to bind" |
|
|
ligand |
|
|
|
ligand |
|
|
lip/o |
prot[o] |
|
ein |
|
lipoprotein |
|
|
lip/o |
some |
|
|
|
liposome |
|
|
lymph/o |
cyt/e |
|
|
|
lymphocyte |
|
|
lys/o |
some |
|
|
|
lysosome |
|
macro |
|
phage |
|
|
|
macrophage |
|
|
|
malt |
|
ose |
|
maltose |
| Greek meiosis, "lessening" |
|
|
mei |
|
osis |
|
meiosis |
| Greek mero–, "partial" + Greek krīnō, "to separate" |
mero |
|
crine |
|
|
|
merocrine |
| Greek metabole, "a change" (meta–, "change" + ballein, "to throw") |
meta |
|
bol |
|
ism |
|
metabolism |
|
meta |
|
phase |
|
|
|
metaphase |
| Latin filamentum, "fine untwisted thread" |
micro |
|
filament |
|
|
|
microfilament |
|
micro |
|
glia |
|
|
|
microglia |
|
micro |
|
tub[e] |
|
ule |
|
microtubule |
| Latin villus, "tuft of hair, wool" |
micro |
|
villus |
|
|
|
microvillus |
| Greek mitos, "thread" + khondros, "granule" + –ion diminutive suffix |
|
mito |
chondrion |
|
|
|
mitochondrion |
|
|
|
mit[o] |
|
osis |
|
mitosis |
| German, coined in 1900 by Ostwald, short for Molekül |
|
|
mole |
|
|
|
mole |
| Coined 1811 by Avogadro from Latin mole, "mass" + diminutive suffix –cule |
|
|
mole |
|
cule |
|
molecule |
| Greek monos, "single" + Greek meros, "part" |
mono |
|
mer |
|
|
|
monomer |
|
|
|
neutr[al] |
|
on |
|
neutron |
| another substance, related to epinephrine/adrenaline, that is isolated from the adrenal medulla, a gland above the kidney |
nor[mal] |
epi |
nephr |
|
ine |
|
norepinephrine |
|
|
|
nucle |
|
olus |
|
nucleolus |
|
|
|
nucle |
|
os[e] |
ide |
nucleoside |
| Latin nucleus + –t– for the sound of it + –ide |
|
|
nucleot |
|
ide |
|
nucleotide |
| Latin nucleus, "little nut" |
|
|
nucleus |
|
|
|
nucleus |
|
oligo |
dendr/o |
cyte |
|
|
|
oligodendrocyte |
| Spanish, coined by Río Hortega, oligodendroglía, "many" + "tree branches" + "glue" |
oligo |
dendr/o |
glia |
|
|
|
oligodendroglia |
|
|
|
organ |
|
elle |
|
organelle |
| Greek ōsmos, "thrusting, pushing" |
|
|
osmos |
|
is |
|
osmosis |
|
|
osteo |
cyte |
|
|
|
osteocyte |
|
|
|
ox |
id[e] + a |
tion |
|
oxidation |
| para– + –enkhyma "infusion" (en– + –-khein "pour"). The ancients thought that the parenchyma formed from the infusion and clotting of blood into the space occupied by the organ. |
par |
|
enchyma |
|
|
|
parenchyma |
|
|
peptid/o |
glyc |
|
an |
|
peptidoglycan |
| Coined by Thomson 1804 from per–, "large amount" + oxide |
|
per |
ox |
|
ide |
|
peroxide |
|
|
per |
oxi |
some |
|
|
peroxisome |
|
|
phag/o |
cyt |
|
osis |
|
phagocytosis |
| Latin phænomenon, "that which appears or is seen" |
|
|
pheno |
|
type |
|
phenotype |
|
|
phospho |
lip |
|
id |
|
phospholipid |
| Latin phosphorus, "light-bringing". Phosphorus named by chemists because of its use in matches. Phosphate groups, added in phosphorylation, consist of 1 phosphorus and 4 oxygen atoms. |
|
|
phosphor |
|
yl + a |
tion |
phosphorylation |
| Greek photos, "light" |
|
|
phot[os] |
|
on |
|
photon |
| Greek pinein, "drink" |
|
pino |
cyt/o |
|
osis |
|
pinocytosis |
| Greek ploos, "fold"; haploid and diploid came first, then "ploidy" was used to describe the number of chromosomes |
|
|
ploid |
|
y |
|
ploidy |
|
|
|
pol[e] |
|
ar |
|
polar |
| Greek polys, "many" + Greek meros, "part" |
poly |
|
mer |
|
|
|
polymer |
|
poly |
|
pept[one] |
|
ide |
|
polypeptide |
| Greek ploos, "fold"; haploid and diploid came first, then "ploidy" was used to describe the number of chromosomes |
poly |
|
ploid |
|
|
|
polyploid |
| Latin primus, "first" |
|
|
prim |
|
er |
|
primer |
|
pro |
|
karyo |
|
tic |
|
prokaryotic |
|
pro |
|
phase |
|
|
|
prophase |
|
|
|
prosta[te] |
gland |
in |
|
prostaglandin |
|
|
|
prote[in]a |
|
some |
|
proteasome |
| Coined 1838 by Mulder; Greek prōteios "the first quality" + French ending –ine, "derived substance" |
|
|
prot[o] |
|
ein |
|
protein |
|
|
prot/e/o |
glyc |
|
an |
|
proteoglycan |
| Greek prōton, "first" |
|
|
prot |
|
on |
|
proton |
| Greek pseudos, "lying" + Latin stratum, "thing spread out, layer" |
pseudo |
|
strat[um] |
|
ified |
|
pseudostratified |
| Latin, receptor "to hold, contain" (a ligand) |
|
|
receptor |
|
|
|
receptor |
| Latin recess, "to go backward" + –ive which makes an adjective out of a verb |
|
|
recess |
|
ive |
|
recessive |
| Latin resonantia, "an echo"; in chemistry, delocalized electrons. The image is of electrons ping-ponging back and forth without being attached to a specific atomic nucleus. |
re |
|
son |
|
ance |
|
resonance |
| Latin rete, "net" |
|
|
ret[e] |
|
icul |
ar |
reticular |
|
|
|
ret[e] |
|
icul |
um |
reticulum |
| German Ribonsäure, from English gum arabic with letters scrambled for no reason. This is what makes etymology fun! |
|
|
ribose |
|
|
|
ribose |
|
|
|
ribo[se] |
some |
|
|
ribosome |
| Latin secretionem, "a dividing, separation" |
|
|
secre |
|
tion |
|
secretion |
|
|
|
solut[e] |
|
ion |
|
solution |
|
|
|
somat[o] |
|
ic |
|
somatic |
| Latin squamosus, "covered in scales" |
|
|
squam |
|
ous |
|
squamous |
| Sterol is a shortening of cholesterol |
|
|
ster[ol] |
|
oid |
|
steroid |
| Latin stratum, "thing spread out, layer" |
|
|
strat[um] |
|
ified |
|
stratified |
| Latin stratum, "thing spread out, layer" |
|
|
stratum |
|
|
|
stratum |
| Latin substratum, "spread out underneath" |
sub |
|
strat[um] |
|
e |
|
substrate |
| French sucre, "sugar" + –ose |
|
|
sucr[e] |
|
ose |
|
sucrose |
| French surface, "outermost boundary", sur– + face |
|
|
surf[ace] |
|
ant |
|
surfactant |
| Latin sub–, "beneath" + pendere, "hanging" |
su[b] |
|
pen[dere] |
|
sion |
|
suspension |
| Latin portare, "carry" |
sym |
|
port |
|
|
|
symport |
| Greek telos, "the end, completion" + mer |
telo |
|
mer |
|
e |
|
telomere |
| Greek telos, "the end, completion" |
telo |
|
phase |
|
|
|
telophase |
| German Testosteron, coined 1935 |
|
|
test[is] |
ster[ol] |
one |
|
testosterone |
| Thermo– + Greek dynamis, "power" |
|
thermo |
dynam[is] |
|
ics |
|
thermodynamics |
|
|
thromb/o |
cyt/e |
|
|
|
thrombocyte |
| Latin penuria, "poverty; scarcity" |
|
thromb/o |
cyt/o |
|
penia |
|
thrombocytopenia |
|
|
thromb/o |
cyt |
|
osis |
|
thrombocytosis |
| Obtained from the thymus gland |
|
|
thym[us] |
|
ine |
|
thymine |
| Greek tonikos, "stretching", but since the 1680s used to describe the healthy firmness of tissues |
|
|
ton |
|
ic |
ity |
tonicity |
|
tran[s] |
|
script |
|
ion |
|
transcription |
| Latin translationem, "transfer of meaning" |
trans |
|
translation |
|
|
|
translation |
|
tri |
|
glycer |
|
ide |
|
triglyceride |
|
|
ur |
ac[etyl] |
|
il |
|
uracil |
| Latin valentia, "power, capacity" |
|
|
valence |
|
|
|
valence |
| Latin vesicula, "little blister" |
|
|
ves |
|
icle |
|
vesicle |
| Latin villus, "tuft of hair; shaggy hair; wool" |
|
|
villus |
|
|
|
villus |
