Where does “oxidase” come from?
Oxidase comes from English oxide combined with the suffix -ase, ultimately deriving from Ancient Greek διάστασις meaning separation, itself from διά and δισα roots.
oxidase (English): Any of many enzymes which catalyze oxidation...
Definitions
- Any of many enzymes which catalyze oxidation...
Ancestry of “oxidase”, step by step
oxidase traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English oxide
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | oxide | A binary chemical compound of oxygen with another... |
| 2 | French | oxide | Obsolete spelling of oxyde |
| 3 | French | acide | acid, acidic, sour, tart; acid, acidic; acid |
| 4 | Latin | acidus | sour, tart, acid, bitter; harsh, grating, rough,... |
| 5 | Latin | aceō | to be sour |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | akēō | be sharp-tasting, be sour |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ-éh₁-ye-ti | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |