Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “transmembrane” come from?

Transmembrane comes from English trans- plus membrane, which derives from Latin membrana, from Latin membrum meaning limb or body part, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots related to flesh.

transmembrane (English): traversing a cellular membrane; of or pertaining...

Definitions

  1. traversing a cellular membrane; of or pertaining...

Ancestry of “transmembrane”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmembraneA flexible enclosing or separating tissue forming...
2Latinmembrāna—
3Latinmembrumlimb of the body; member; the penis; a portion,...
4Proto-Italicmemzrom—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmḗmsflesh, meat
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmems-flesh, meat
7Proto-Indo-Europeanme-ms-—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmes-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mes- →