Where does “oligomer” come from?

Oligomer comes from Ancient Greek μέρος, derived from Ancient Greek μείρομαι, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)mer-, meaning to divide or allot.

oligomer (English): A compound intermediate between a monomer and a...

Definitions

  1. A compound intermediate between a monomer and a...

Ancestry of “oligomer”, step by step

oligomer traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English oligo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglisholigoAn oligonucleotide
2EnglisholigonucleotideA short sequence of nucleotides (RNA or DNA), typically with twenty or fewer base pairs
3EnglishnucleotideThe monomer constituting DNA or RNA biopolymer...
4Englishnucleo-Forming words pertaining to nuclei
5Latinnū̆cleus(small) nut
6Latinnuculeapertaining to a small nut
7Latin-eusargentum + API → argenteus; ferrum + API →...
8Ancient Greek-εῖοςForms adjectives, usually with a meaning of "of"...
9Proto-Indo-European-iHwós—
10Proto-Indo-European-wósCreates adjectives from verb stems

via English mer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmerA repeat unit: a structural unit which through...
2EnglishpolymerA long or larger molecule consisting of a chain...
3Englishpoly-many; polymer
4Ancient Greekπολύςmany, a lot of; neuter πολύ or πολλά as...
5Ancient Greekπόροςa means of passage, passageway, way, opening;...
6Ancient GreekπείρωI pierce, run through; I cleave through
7Proto-Hellenic*péryō—

via German Oligomere

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanOligomere—

Words derived from “oligomer”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -wós →Every word from Latin -eus →Every word from English nucleo- →