Etymology

carboxyl

C3A1R1B3O1X8Y4L1

Today it means: A univalent functional group consisting of a carbonyl and a hydroxyl functional group (-CO.OH); characteristic of carboxylic acids. Full definition →

English hydroxyl ← French oxygène ← Ancient Greek γένος (génos)
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kerh₃-der.?
  2. Latincarbōnem
  3. Frenchcarbone
  4. Englishcarbon
  5. Proto-Indo-European*swel-der.?
  6. Ancient Greekῡ̔́λη (hū́lē)
  7. Englishcarbonyl
  8. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  10. Proto-Hellenic*údōr
  11. Ancient Greekῡ̆̔́δωρ (hū̆́dōr)
  12. Ancient Greekὑδρο- (hudro-)
  13. Frenchhydro-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  15. Proto-Indo-European*ǵénh₁os
  16. Proto-Hellenic*génos
  17. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  18. Frenchhydrogène
  19. Englishhydrogen
  20. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eḱ-der.?
  21. Ancient Greekὀξύς (oxús)
  22. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  23. Frenchoxygène
  24. Englishoxygen
  25. Englishhydroxyl
  26. English todaycarboxyl

Blend of carbonyl + hydroxyl.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.