Etymology

xanthine

X8A1N1T1H4I1N1E1

Today it means: Any of a group of alkaloids that include caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine as well as the parent compound, a precursor of uric acid found in many organs of the body. Full definition →

French xanthine ← Ancient Greek ξανθός
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The story

  1. Ancient Greek · derived fromξανθός“yellow”
  2. French · derived fromxanthine
  3. English todayxanthine

From international scientific vocabulary, from French xanthine, reflecting New Latin combining forms: xanth- + -ine; ultimately from Ancient Greek ξανθός (xanthós, “yellow”), because xanthine is yellowish-white. By surface analysis, xanth- + -ine.

Words from the same roots

Ancient Greekξανθός all →

xanthelasmaxanthochroixanthophyllite

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.