Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cetylic” come from?

cetylic (English) comes from English cetyl, from English -yl, from French méthylène, from Ancient Greek μέθυ, from Proto-Hellenic métʰu, from Proto-Indo-European médʰu — honey; honey wine, mead.

cetylic (English): Of, pertaining to, or derived from spermaceti

Definitions

  1. Of, pertaining to, or derived from spermaceti

Ancestry of “cetylic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcetylThe univalent hexadecyl radical CH- present in...
2English-ylA univalent radical or functional group formed...
3Frenchméthylènemethylene
4Ancient Greekμέθυwine
5Proto-Hellenicmétʰuintoxicating drink; mead
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmédʰuhoney; honey wine, mead
Every word from Proto-Indo-European médʰu →