Etymology

autophagy

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Today it means: The process of self-digestion by a cell through the action of enzymes originating within the same cell, and often a defensive or self-preservation measure. Full definition →

Ancient Greek ἔφᾰγον (éphăgon) ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂g- ← English auto-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew
  2. Proto-Indo-European*tó-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*autós
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew
  5. Ancient Greekαὖ (aû)
  6. Ancient Greekτόν (tón)
  7. Ancient Greekαὐτός (autós)
  8. Ancient Greekαὐτο- (auto-)
  9. Englishauto-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂g-
  11. Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂g-
  12. Ancient Greekἔφᾰγον (éphăgon)
  13. English todayautophagy

From auto- + -phagy.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.