Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “heterocyclic” come from?

Heterocyclic derives from Ancient Greek ἕτερος and κύκλος, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷlos and kʷel-, meaning to turn or move in a circle.

heterocyclic (English): Having atoms of two or more different elements in...

Definitions

  1. Having atoms of two or more different elements in...

Ancestry of “heterocyclic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcyclicCharacterized by, or moving in cycles, or...
2Frenchcycliquecyclic, cyclical
3Latincyclicus—
4Ancient Greekκύκλοςcircle, ring; Any circular object, such as a...
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷékʷloswheel; circle
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷel-to turn

Words derived from “heterocyclic”

  • nitroheterocyclic
  • nonheterocyclic
  • heterocyclically
  • carboheterocyclic
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- →