Where does “photopsin” come from?
photopsin (English) comes from English photo, from English photography, from French photographie, from Ancient Greek φωτο-, from Ancient Greek φῶς, from Proto-Hellenic pʰáos, from Proto-Indo-European bʰéh₂os, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-.
photopsin (English): Any of a class of photoreceptor proteins present in the cones of the retina
Definitions
- Any of a class of photoreceptor proteins present in the cones of the retina
Ancestry of “photopsin”, step by step
photopsin traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English photo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | photo | A photograph; A photo finish; To take a... |
| 2 | English | photography | The art and technology of producing images on... |
| 3 | French | photographie | photography; photograph |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | φωτο- | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | φῶς | Attic form of φᾰ́ος |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | pʰáos | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéh₂os | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeh₂- | to shine, glow light; to speak, say |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeh₂-s-ri- | — |
via English opsin
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | opsin | Any of a group of light-sensitive proteins in the... |
| 2 | English | rhodopsin | A light-sensitive pigment in the rod cells of the... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ὄψις | view |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ὄψ | voice; word; eye, face |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | wókʷs | voice |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wekʷ- | to speak, to sound out |