Where does “polychlorinated” come from?
Polychlorinated combines English chlorinated with Ancient Greek πολύς (many), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European polh₁ús and pleh₁-.
polychlorinated (English): Having many hydrogen atoms replaced by chlorine
Definitions
- Having many hydrogen atoms replaced by chlorine
Ancestry of “polychlorinated”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | poly- | many; polymer |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | πολύς | many, a lot of; neuter πολύ or πολλά as... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πόρος | a means of passage, passageway, way, opening;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | πείρω | I pierce, run through; I cleave through |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | *péryō | — |