Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cytotoxicity” come from?

Cytotoxicity is a modern English compound of cyto- and toxicity, with toxicity deriving from French toxique, Latin -itas, and Ancient Greek τόξον meaning bow, originally referring to poison used on arrows.

cytotoxicity (English): the property of being toxic to a cell

Definitions

  1. the property of being toxic to a cell

Ancestry of “cytotoxicity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtoxicityThe quality or degree of being toxic
2EnglishtoxicHaving a chemical nature that is harmful to...
3Frenchtoxiquetoxic
4Latintoxicustoxic; poisonous
5Latintoxicuma poison used on the tips of arrows; any poison
6Ancient Greekτοξικόνinflection of τοξικός : ## neuter...
7Ancient Greekτοξικόςof or for the bow; skilled in the use of the bow;...
8Ancient GreekλόγοςThat which is said: word, sentence, speech,...
9Ancient GreekλέγωI put in order, arrange, gather; I choose, count,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanleǵ-to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to...

Words derived from “cytotoxicity”

  • lymphocytotoxicity
  • microlymphocytotoxicity
  • photocytotoxicity
  • anticytotoxicity
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leǵ- →