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Protein

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a large molecule made of amino acids, essential in the diet

Where does the word "protein" come from? It comes from Greek prōteîos, passing through French before entering English (1840s).

prōteîos→protéine→protein

Greek · ancient

'primary, of the first rank', from prōtos 'first'

"basic organic matter"

Jöns Jacob Berzelius suggested 'protéine' in a letter of 10 July 1838 to the Dutch chemist Gerardus Mulder, who used it in print for the substance he thought basic to all animal matter

English · 1840s

"nutrient; biomolecule"

used for a whole class of compounds once it was clear there were many proteins

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Read the full story

Protein’s story begins in Greek: prōteîos meant “primary.” 'primary, of the first rank', from prōtos 'first'. By 1838, the word had taken hold in French as protéine. Jöns Jacob Berzelius suggested 'protéine' in a letter of 10 July 1838 to the Dutch chemist Gerardus Mulder, who used it in print for the substance he thought basic to all animal matter. It reached English by 1840s as protein. Used for a whole class of compounds once it was clear there were many proteins. Today, protein means a large molecule made of amino acids, essential in the diet.