Where does “bacteriophage” come from?
Bacteriophage derives from French bactériophage, combining English bacterio- with Latin -phagus from Ancient Greek φάγος, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- meaning to eat.
bacteriophage (English): A virus that specifically infects bacteria
Definitions
- A virus that specifically infects bacteria
Ancestry of “bacteriophage”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | bactériophage | bacteriophagous; bacteriophage |
| 2 | French | -phage | -phage |
| 3 | Latin | -phagus | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | φάγος | glutton |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | φαγεῖν | aorist active infinitive of ἔφαγον |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰh₂g- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeh₂g- | to divide, distribute, allot |
Words derived from “bacteriophage”