Etymology

tetraphenylborate

Today it means: The univalent anion B(C₆H₅)₄⁻ containing four phenyl groups attached to a boron atom; any salt containing this anion Full definition →

English borate ← French phényle ← Ancient Greek τετρᾰ- (tetră-)
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kʷetwóres
  2. Proto-Hellenic*kʷétwores
  3. Ancient Greekτέσσᾰρες (téssăres)
  4. Ancient Greekτετρᾰ- (tetră-)
  5. Englishtetra-
  6. Frenchphényle
  7. Englishphenyl
  8. Englishborate
  9. English todaytetraphenylborate

From tetra- + phenyl + borate.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.