Etymology

bacteriophagous

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Today it means: Pertaining to the predation and consumption of bacterium. Full definition →

Ancient Greek ἔφαγον (éphagon) ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂g- ← English bacterio-
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The story

  1. Ancient Greekβακτηρία (baktēría)
  2. Ancient Greekβακτήριον (baktḗrion)
  3. New Latinbactērium
  4. Englishbacterio-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂g-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂g-
  7. Ancient Greekἔφαγον (éphagon)
  8. English todaybacteriophagous

From bacterio- (“bacteria”) + -phagous (“eating”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.