Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “polymer” come from?

Polymer comes from Ancient Greek polymeres, from poly- (many) and meros (part), derived from Ancient Greek meiromai (to allot or receive a share) and Proto-Indo-European pleh₁- (to fill).

polymer (English): A long or larger molecule consisting of a chain...

Definitions

  1. A long or larger molecule consisting of a chain...

Ancestry of “polymer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishpoly-many; polymer
2Ancient Greekπολύςmany, a lot of; neuter πολύ or πολλά as...
3Ancient Greekπόροςa means of passage, passageway, way, opening;...
4Ancient GreekπείρωI pierce, run through; I cleave through
5Proto-Hellenic*péryō—

Words derived from “polymer”

  • polymerase
  • polymerization
  • polymeric
  • copolymer
  • copolymerization
  • depolymerization
  • polymerize
  • homopolymer
  • geopolymer
  • biopolymer
  • prepolymer
  • terpolymer
  • photopolymerization
  • polymerizable
  • fluoropolymer
  • homopolymerization
  • photopolymer
  • electropolymerization
  • depolymerize
  • interpolymer
  • homopolymeric
  • heteropolymer
  • postpolymerization
  • depolymerase
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *péryō →