Where does “blastocyst” come from?
Blastocyst comes from Ancient Greek βλαστός meaning "sprout" combined with Ancient Greek κύστις meaning "bladder," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewH-.
blastocyst (English): The mammalian blastula
Ancestry of “blastocyst”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | cyst | A pouch or sac without opening, usually... |
| 2 | Latin | cystis | cyst |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | κύστις | bladder |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kewH- | to cover, bedeck; cover |
Words derived from “blastocyst”