radiole

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*-lós
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*reh₁t-“beam, pole, post”
3. Latin · derived fromradius“rod, staff”
4. Late Latin · derived fromradiolus“a fossil echinoid’s spine”
5. English todayradiole

From Late Latin radiolus (“a fossil echinoid’s spine”), from Latin radius (“rod, staff”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁t- (“beam, pole, post”)) + -olus (diminutive suffix) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *-lós). The word first appears in the works of Scottish natural historian and marine zoologist Charles Wyville Thomson (1830–1882).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from late 19th c. The spine of a sea urchin.