Etymology

epinephrine

E1P3I1N1E1P3H4R1I1N1E1

Today it means: A catecholamine hormone and neurotransmitter; as a hormone, secreted by the adrenal gland in response to stress (when it stimulates the autonomic nervous system); as a neurotransmitter, synthesized from norepinephrine. It is also used as a medication. Full definition →

Ancient Greek νεφρός (nephrós) ← Proto-Hellenic *nekʷʰrós ← Proto-Indo-European *negʷʰrós
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁ep-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éps
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₁épi
  4. Proto-Hellenic*epí
  5. Ancient Greekἐπί (epí)
  6. Ancient Greekἐπῐ- (epĭ-)
  7. Proto-Indo-European*negʷʰrós
  8. Proto-Hellenic*nekʷʰrós
  9. Ancient Greekνεφρός (nephrós)
  10. English todayepinephrine

From Ancient Greek ἐπι- (epi-, “upon”) + νεφρός (nephrós, “kidney”) + -ine.

Words from the same roots

Ancient Greekἐπι- all →

epinaosepineuriumepizeuxis

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.