Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “acrylic” come from?

Acrylic derives from English acryl, blending English acrolein with Latin acer meaning sharp, combined with Latin oleum meaning oil, ultimately from Ancient Greek ἔλαιον and Proto-Indo-European roots.

acrylic (English): Derived from acrylic acid or acrylonitrile;...

Definitions

  1. Derived from acrylic acid or acrylonitrile;...

Ancestry of “acrylic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishacrylThe univalent radical derived from acrylic acid...
2EnglishacroleinA pungent, acrid, poisonous liquid aldehyde,...
3Latinācer—
4Latinsaccharumsugar
5Ancient Greekσάκχαρsugar; sugar cane
6Sanskritशर्कराgravel, grit, pebbles, shingle, gravelly mould or...
7Proto-Indo-AryanśárkaraH—
8Proto-Indo-IranianćárkaraH—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱorkeh₂gravel, boulder; boulder; gravel

Words derived from “acrylic”

  • methacrylate
  • acrylate
  • cyanoacrylate
  • methacrylic
  • polymethylmethacrylate
  • polyacrylic
  • dimethacrylate
  • polyacrylate
  • diacrylate
  • polymethacrylic
  • methacryloyl
  • monomethacrylate
  • acrylation
  • glycolmethacrylate
  • monoacrylate
  • diacrylic
  • hydracrylic acid
  • 亞克力
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱorkeh₂ →