Where does “retinoid” come from?
Retinoid is an English formation from retina, derived from Latin retīna, which combined the prefix re- with -culum, ultimately tracing to Arabic كحل (kohl, an eye cosmetic), creating a term for substances chemically related to retinol.
retinoid (English): Pertaining to or resembling a resin; Any of a...
Definitions
- Pertaining to or resembling a resin; Any of a...
Ancestry of “retinoid”, step by step
retinoid traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English retinol
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | retinol | A fat-soluble carotenoid vitamin (vitamin A), present in fish oils and green vegetables, essential to normal vision and to bone development |
| 2 | English | -ol | An alcohol or phenol; Indicating an oily... |
| 3 | English | alcohol | Any of a class of organic compounds containing a... |
| 4 | French | alcohol | Alternative spelling of alcool |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | alcohol | powdered ore of antimony; kohl, collyrium,... |
| 6 | Arabic | كحل | antimony; kohl, stibnite; black coloring of the... |
| 7 | Arabic | كُحْل | antimony; kohl, stibnite |
| 8 | Akkadian | guḫlum | kohl, antimony paste |
via Ancient Greek ῥητίνη
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | ῥητίνη | resin of the pine |