Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “secretase” come from?

Secretase is a modern English scientific term formed from secret, ultimately from Latin secernere meaning "to separate or distinguish," combined with the enzyme suffix -ase.

secretase (English): An enzyme that "snips" pieces off a longer...

Definitions

  1. An enzyme that "snips" pieces off a longer...

Ancestry of “secretase”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishsecreteseparated; To extract a substance from blood,...
2EnglishSecret—
3Middle Englishsecrette—
4Old Frenchsecret—
5Latinsēcrētus—
6Ancient Greekἀγωγόςleading, guiding; guide, escort; leading to
7Ancient GreekἄγωTo lead, fetch, bring along , take with; To carry...
8Proto-Hellenicágōto lead, to guide
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- →