Where does “mercaptopurine” come from?

mercaptopurine (English) comes from English purine, from German Purin, from Old French pur, from Old French autre, from Old French vie, from Old French viḍe, from Latin vitam, from Latin vīta — to live.

mercaptopurine (English): An thiol antimetabolite C5H4N4S that interferes especially with the metabolism of purine bases and the biosynthesis of nucleic acids and that is sometimes used in the treatment of acute leukemia

Definitions

  1. An thiol antimetabolite C5H4N4S that interferes especially with the metabolism of purine bases and the biosynthesis of nucleic acids and that is sometimes used in the treatment of acute leukemia

Ancestry of “mercaptopurine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpurineAny of a class of organic heterocyclic compounds,...
2GermanPurin
3Old Frenchpurpure; Alternative form of por
4Old FrenchautreAlternative form of altre; other
5Old Frenchvielife
6Old Frenchviḍe
7Latinvitamaccusative singular of vīta
8Latinvītalife
9Latinvīvōto live
10Proto-Italicgʷīwōlive, be alive
11Proto-Indo-Europeangʷíh₃wetito live, to be alive
12Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
13Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w-
mercaptopurine — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer