Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “purine” come from?

Purine is a German coinage Purin, ultimately from an unknown origin, entering English scientific terminology in the late 19th century.

purine (English): Any of a class of organic heterocyclic compounds,...

Definitions

  1. Any of a class of organic heterocyclic compounds,...

Ancestry of “purine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanPurin—
2Old Frenchpurpure; Alternative form of por
3Old FrenchautreAlternative form of altre; other
4Old Frenchvielife
5Old Frenchviḍe—
6Latinvitamaccusative singular of vīta
7Latinvīta—
8Latinvīvō—
9Proto-Italicgʷīwōlive, be alive
10Proto-Indo-Europeangʷíh₃wetito live, to be alive
11Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
12Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live

Words derived from “purine”

  • thiopurine
  • purinergic
  • apurinic
  • aminopurine
  • polypurine
  • methylpurine
  • homopurine
  • nonpurine
  • purinic
  • depurinization
  • antipurine
  • alkylpurine
  • homopurinic
  • purinergically
  • 嘌呤
  • 퓨린
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- →