Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “chitin” come from?

Chitin comes from French chitine, from Latin chiton, from Ancient Greek χιτών, from Akkadian 𒌆𒃰, from Sumerian 𒄑𒃰.

chitin (English): A complex polysaccharide, a polymer of...

Definitions

  1. A complex polysaccharide, a polymer of...

Ancestry of “chitin”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchchitinechitin
2Latinchitonmollusk
3Ancient Greekχιτώνman's tunic; tunic; coat of mail
4Central Semitickittan—
5Swahilikituthing
6Proto-Bantukɪ̀ntʊ̀thing, object
7Proto-Bantu*-ntʊ̀—

Words derived from “chitin”

  • chitinous
  • chitinase
  • endochitinase
  • chitinoid
  • nonchitinous
  • chitinaceous
  • lipochitin
  • chitinization
  • chitinlike
  • hexachitose
  • polychitin
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