Etymology

cycloserine

C3Y4C3L1O1S1E1R1I1N1E1

Today it means: A broad-spectrum antibiotic C₃H₆N₂O₂ produced by an actinomycete (Streptomyces orchidaceus) and used especially in the treatment of tuberculosis. Full definition →

English serine ← Latin sēricus ← Ancient Greek σηρῐκός (sērĭkós)
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kʷelh₁-redup.
  2. Proto-Indo-European*kʷékʷlos
  3. Proto-Hellenic*kʷókʷlos
  4. Proto-Hellenic*kúklos
  5. Ancient Greekκύκλος (kúklos)
  6. Late Latincyclus
  7. Middle Englishcicle
  8. Englishcycle
  9. Ancient Greekκύκλος (kúklos)
  10. Ancient Greekκυκλῐκός (kuklĭkós)
  11. Classical Latincyclicu
  12. Middle Frenchcyclique
  13. Frenchcyclique
  14. Classical Latincyclicus
  15. Englishcyclic
  16. Englishcyclo-
  17. Old Chinese絲 (*sə)der.?
  18. Ancient Greekσήρ (sḗr)
  19. Ancient Greekσηρῐκός (sērĭkós)
  20. Latinsēricus
  21. Englishserine
  22. English todaycycloserine

From cyclo- + serine.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.