Where does “diphosphate” come from?
Diphosphate comes from English phosphate, prefixed with Ancient Greek διά meaning "through," from French -ate, Latin phosphorus, and Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ and bʰer- meaning "to carry," reflected in Ancient Greek φέρω.
diphosphate (English): any salt or ester containing two phosphate...
Definitions
- any salt or ester containing two phosphate...
Ancestry of “diphosphate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | phosphate | Any salt or ester of phosphoric acid; A... |
| 2 | French | phosphate | phosphate |
| 3 | French | phosphore | phosphorus |
| 4 | New Latin | phōsphorus | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Φωσφόρος | the bearer of light |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -φόρος | -bearing, -carrying; carrying, bearing; bringing |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | φέρω | I bring, bear, carry |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | pʰérō | to bear |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéreti | to be carrying |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
Words derived from “diphosphate”