Etymology

phosphonitrile

P3H4O1S1P3H4O1N1I1T1R1I1L1E1

Today it means: any of many polymeric compounds of general formula (X₂PN)ₙ where X is an electronegative group such as halogen or alkoxy Full definition →

English nitrile ← Latin phōsphorus ← Ancient Greek φωσφόρος (phōsphóros)
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
  4. Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
  5. Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
  6. Ancient Greekφωσφόρος (phōsphóros)
  7. Latinphōsphorus
  8. Englishphosphorus
  9. Englishphospho-
  10. Englishnitrile
  11. English todayphosphonitrile

From phospho- + nitrile.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.