Etymology

alkaloid

A1L1K5A1L1O1I1D2

Today it means: Any of many organic (often heterocyclic) bases that occur in nature and often have medicinal properties. Full definition →

Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos) ← Proto-Hellenic *wéidos ← Proto-Indo-European *wéydos
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The story

  1. Arabicاَلْقِلْي (al-qily)
  2. Medieval Latinalcali
  3. Frenchalcali
  4. Englishalkali
  5. Proto-Indo-European*weyd-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*wéydos
  7. Proto-Hellenic*wéidos
  8. Ancient Greekεἶδος (eîdos)
  9. English todayalkaloid

From alkali + -oid. Compare French alcaloïde.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.