Etymology

photoionisation

P3H4O1T1O1I1O1N1I1S1A1T1I1O1N1

Today it means: The ejection of electrons from an atom or other species following the absorption of photons. Full definition →

English ionisation ← Ancient Greek ἰόν (ión) ← Proto-Hellenic *éimi
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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 Greekφωτο- (phōto-)
  7. Englishphoto-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*h₁ey-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éyti
  10. Proto-Hellenic*éimi
  11. Ancient Greekἰόν (ión)
  12. Englishion
  13. Englishionise
  14. Englishionisation
  15. English todayphotoionisation

From photo- + ionisation.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.