Where does “steroid” come from?

Steroid derives from English sterol, from Ancient Greek -ειδής meaning resembling, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European weyd- meaning to see.

steroid (English): A class of organic compounds having a structure...

Definitions

  1. A class of organic compounds having a structure...

Ancestry of “steroid”, step by step

steroid traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sterol

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsterolAny steroid that contains a hydroxyl group in the...
2EnglishcholesterolA sterol lipid synthesized by the liver and...
3Frenchcholestérolcholesterol
4Frenchcholesterinecholesterol; Dated form of cholestérol
5Ancient Greekχολήgall, bile; gall bladder; bitterness, wrath,...
6Proto-Hellenickʰolā́gall, bile
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰolh₃-éh₂
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰelh₃-to flourish; green, yellow

via French stéroïde

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchstéroïdesteroid; Synonym of stéroïdien

Words derived from “steroid

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃-