Where does “carcinogen” come from?
Carcinogen derives from English -gen, Ancient Greek καρκίνος, Ancient Greek -γενής, Ancient Greek γένος, and Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁-, meaning to produce or generate.
carcinogen (English): A substance or agent that can cause cancer
Definitions
- A substance or agent that can cause cancer
Ancestry of “carcinogen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -gen | A producer of something, e.g. hydrogen |
| 2 | French | -gène | -gen, -genic |
| 3 | Latin | -genus | born from, sprung form |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -γενής | born in a certain place or condition; of a kind |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -είᾱ | Superficially appears in abstract nouns derived from σ-stem adjectives, with the true suffix being |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -ής | adjective suffix |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |