Where does “cyanobacteria” come from?
Cyanobacteria derives from English bacterium and Ancient Greek κυάνεος, combined with Ancient Greek βακτήριον from βάκτρον, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bak-.
cyanobacteria (English): plural of cyanobacterium
Definitions
- plural of cyanobacterium
Ancestry of “cyanobacteria”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cyanobacterium | Any of very many photosynthetic prokaryotic... |
| 2 | English | bacterium | A single celled organism with cell walls but no... |
| 3 | New Latin | bactērium | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | βακτήριον | Synonym of βακτηρία |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | βακτηρία | rod, staff, cane; baton |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | baḱ- | club, pointed stick, peg; pointed stick, peg |