The story
- Proto-Semitic*bayt-
- Phoenician𐤁𐤕 (bt)
- Ancient Greekβῆτᾰ (bêtă)
- Englishbeta
- Latinlac
- Englishlacto-
- GermanKeton
- Englishketone
- Englishlac(tone)
- Egyptianjmn
- Ancient GreekᾸ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)
- LatinAmmōn
- Latinammoniacus
- Englishammonia
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
- Englisham(ide)
- Englishlactam
- English todaybeta-lactam
From beta + lactam, where beta refers to the position of the carbon atom to which the nitrogen is attached.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.