Important Biochemical Words - Origins and Their Meanings (#biochemistry)(#biology)(#biotechnology)(#ipumusings)
Important Biochemical Words - Origins and Their Meanings
Acid (Latin) acidus-sour
Acidosis (Latin) acidus-sour; osis-condition
Albinism (Greek) albino-white
Alkali (Arabic) al-qite-ashes of saltwort
Allergy (Greek) alios-other; ergon-work
Alloseric (Greek) allo-the other
Amentia (Latin) amentis-mental deficiency
Amnesia (Greek) a-not; mnesis-memory
Amphipathic (Greek) amphi-both; pathos-feeling
Amphiphilic (Greek) amphi-both; philic-love
Anaerobe (Greek) a-not; aer-air; bios-life
Anaplerotic (Greek) ana-up; plerotikos-to fill
Androgen (Greek) aner-man; genesis-production
Anemia (Greek) a-not; haima-blood
Anorexia (Greek) a-not; orexis-appetite
Anticoagulant anti (Greek}-against; coagulare (Latin}-to curdle
Antimetabolite (Greek) anti-against; metabolechange
Arteriosclerosis arteria (Latin}-artery; sclerosis (Greek) hardening.
Arthritis (Greek) arthron-joint; itis-inflammation
Atherosclerosis (Greek) athere-porridge; sclerosishardening
Beri-beri (Sinhalese}- cannot (said twice)
Biochemistry (Greek) bios-life; chymos-juice
Biology (Greek) bios-life; logos-discourse
Bovine (Latin) bovinus-pertaining to cow or ox
Calorie (Latin) calor-heat Cancer (Latin) crab
Carbohydrate carbo (Latin}-coal; hydor (Greek) water
Caries (Latin)-decay
Casein (Latin) caseus-cheese
Catabolism (Greek) kata-down; ballein-to throw
Catalysis (Greek) kata-down; lysis-degradation
Cathepsin (Greek) to digest
Cephalins (Greek) kephale-head
Cheilitis (Greek) cheilos-lip; itis-inflammation
Cheilosis (Greek) cheilos-lip; osis-condition
Chirality (Greek) cheir-hand
Chlorophyll (Greek) chloros-pale green; phyllonleaf
Cholelithiasis (Greek) chole-bile; lithos-stone; asis - condition
Cholesterol (Greek) chole-bile; sterol-solid alcohol
Chromatography (Greek) chroma-colour; graphein-to write
Chromosome (Greek) chroma-colour; soma-body
Chyle (Greek) chylos-juice
Chyluria (Greek) chylos-juice; auron-urine
Chyme (Greek) chymos-juice
Cirrhosis (Greek) kirrhos-orange-tawny; osis-condition
Cis (Latin) same side
Coagulation (Greek) coagulare-to curdle
Collagen (Greek) kolla-glue; genesthai-to be produced
Colloid (Greek) kolla-glue; eidos-form
Consanguinity (Latin) con-with; sanguis-blood
Creatine (Greek) kreas-flesh Cristae (Latin) crests
Cutaneous (Latin) cutis-skin
Cytology (Greek) kytos-cell; logos-discourse
Cytoplasm (Greek) kytos-cell; plassein-to mould
Dermatitis (Greek) derma-skin; itis-inflammation
Diabetes mellitus (Greek) diabetes-running through (or a siphon); mellitus-sweet
Eicosanoids (Greek) eikosi-twenty
Embolism (Greek) embolos-to plug
Emphysema (Greek) emphysan-to inflate
Enkephalin (Greek) in the brain
Enthalpy (Greek) to warm within
Entropy (Greek) in turning
Enzyme (Greek) in yeast
Erythrocyte (Greek) erythros-red; kytos-cell
Eukaryotes (Greek) eu-true; karyon-nucleus
Ferrous (Latin) ferrum-iron
Folate (Latin) folium-leaf
Galactose (Greek) gala-milk
Gastritis (Greek) gaster-belly; itis-inflammation
Gene (Greek) genesis-descent
Genome (Greek) genos-birth
Globin (Latin) globus-ball
Globulin (Latin) globulus-little ball
Glossitis (Greek) glossa-tongue; itis-inflammation
Glycolysis (Greek) glycos-sweet; lysis-dissolution
Goitre (Latin) gultur-throat
Gonadotrophin (Greek) gona-generation; trophe-nourishment
Haemoglobin haima (Greek)-blood; globus (Latin)ball
Hepatitis (Greek) hepar-liver; itis-inflammation
Hormone (Greek) hormain-to excite
Hydrophilic (Greek) hydro-water; philic-living
Hydrophobic (Greek) hydro-water; phobic-hating
Hyperglycemia (Greek) hyper-above; glycos-sweet; haima-blood
Hypertonic (Greek) hyper-above; tonos-tension
Hypoglycemia (Greek) hypo-below; glycos-sweet;haima-blood
Hypotonic (Greek) hypo-below; tonos-tension
Icterus (Greek) ikteros-jaundice
Immunity (Latin) immunis-exempt from public burden
Inflammation (Latin) inflammare-to set on fire
In situ (Latin) in the correct position
In vitro (Latin) in a test tube
In vivo (Latin) in the living tissue
Isomerism (Greek) iso-equal; mesos-part
Isotonic (Greek) iso-equal; tonos-tension
Isotope (Greek) iso-equal; topos-place
Jaundice (French) jaune-yellow
Keratin (Greek) keras-horn
Kwashiorkor (Ga-African) sickness of the deposed child
Lactalbumin (Greek) lac-milk; albumin-white
Lecithin (Greek) lekithos-egg yolk
Lipids (Greek) lipos-fat
Lactosuria lac (Latin)-milk; ovron (Greek)-urine
Leukocytes (Geek) leukos-white; kytos-cell
Leukoderma (Greek) leukos-white; derma-skin
Ligase (Greek) ligate-to bind
Malaria (Italian) bad air
Malnutrition (Latin) malus-bad; nutrire-nourishment
Marasmus (Greek) to waste
Melanin (Greek) melan-black
Menopause (Greek) men-month; pausis-stopping
Metabolism (Greek) metabole-change
Mitochondria (Greek) mitos-thread; chondros - granule
Mitosis (Greek) mitos-thread; osis-condition
Monosaccharide (Greek)-mono-one; saccharin - sugar
Myeloma (Greek) myelos-marrow; oma-tumor
Nephritis (Greek) nephros-kidney; itis-inflammation
Neurosis (Greek) neuron-nerve; osis-condition
Oedema or edema (Greek) oidema-swelling
Oligosaccharides (Greek) oligo-few; saccharon-sugar
Osmosis (Greek)-push
Osteomalacia (Greek) osteon-bone; malakia-softness
Oxyntic (Greek) oxynein-to make acid
Oxytocin (Greek)-rapid birth
Palindrome (Greek)-to run back again
Pantothenic acid (Greek) pantos-everywhere
Pathogenesis (Greek) pathos-disease; genesisproducing
Pellagra (ltalian)-rough skin
Pepsin (Greek) pepsis-digestion
Phagocytosis (Greek) phagein-to eat; kytos-cell;osis-condition
Phobia (Greek) phobos-fear
Polysaccharide (Greek) poly-many; saccharin - sugar
Porphyrin (Greek) porphyra - purple colour
Post-prandial (Latin}-after food
Prokaryotes (Greek) pro-before; karyon-nucleus
Proteins (Greek) proteios-holding first place
Rickets (Old English) wrickken-to twist
Serum (Latin}-whey
Sphingosine (Greek) sphingein-to bind tight
Steatorrhea (Greek) stear-fat; rheein-to flow
Stereoisomerism (Greek) stero-space
Sterol (Greek) steros-solid; ol- alcohol
Thalassemia (Greek) thalassa-sea
Thermodynamics (Greek) therme-heat; dynamics-power
Thermogenesis (Greek) therme-heat; genesis-production
Thrombosis (Greek) thrombos-clot; osis-condition
Thylakoid (Greek) thylakos-a sac or pouch
Tocopherol (Greek) tokos-child birth; pheros-to bear; ol-alcohol
Trans (Latin) across Tumor (Latin) swelling
Vitamin (coined inappropriately in 1906) (Latin) vita-fife; amine
Xanthoma (Greek) xanthos-yellow
Xenobiotics (Greek) xenos-strange
Zwitterion (German) zwitter-hybrid.
