Etymology

microvillus

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Today it means: Any of many fingerlike extensions on the surfaces of many cells, consisting of the proteins actin, fimbrin, and villin. Full definition →

English villus ← Ancient Greek μῑκρο- (mīkro-) ← Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.?
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-der.?
  2. Ancient Greekμῑκρός (mīkrós)
  3. Ancient Greekμῑκρο- (mīkro-)
  4. Englishmicro-
  5. Englishvillus
  6. English todaymicrovillus

From micro- + villus.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.