photosynthesis

Where does the word "photosynthesis" come from? It comes from Greek phos, and was adopted directly into English (1898).

Photosynthesis’s story begins in Greek: phos meant “light.” Light, combined with synthesis (a putting together). It reached English by 1898 as photosynthesis. Coined by botanists for the process by which plants convert light into energy. Today, photosynthesis means the process by which plants use sunlight to synthesize nutrients from carbon dioxide and water.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient phos "light", light, combined with synthesis (a putting together).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1898 photosynthesis "the process by which plants convert light into chemical energy", coined by botanists for the process by which plants convert light into energy.