azotosome

A1Z10O1T1O1S1O1M3E1

noun

A theoretical nitrogen-based counterpart to liposome structures composed of acrylonitrile self-assembled membrane in a liquid methane bath

OriginFrench azote ← Ancient Greek σῶμα →
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Meanings

nounazotosome (plural azotosomes)

plural azotosomes

  1. chemistryA theoretical nitrogen-based counterpart to liposome structures composed of acrylonitrile self-assembled membrane in a liquid methane bath

    This procedure is necessary because of the azotosomes’ high barriers to decomposition.

    2015 February 27, James Stevenson, Jonathan Lunine, Paulette Clancy, “Membrane alternatives in worlds without oxygen: Creation of an azotosome”, in Science Advances
    2 more examples

    Furthermore, Stevenson et al. [51] recently suggested membranes composed of small organic nitrogen compounds, azotosomes that would be capable of forming and functioning in liquid methane at cryogenic temperatures.

    2015 July 17, Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Alexander Schulze-Makuch, Joop M. Houtkooper, “The Physical, Chemical and Physiological Limits of Life”, in Life, volume 5, number 3, pages 1472–86

    Confirmation of the presence of vinyl cyanide on Titan is especially interesting with respect to the possibility of cell membrane–like azotosomes.

    2017 July 28, Mareen Y. Palmer, “ALMA detection and astrobiological potential of vinyl cyanide on Titan”, in Science Advances, volume 3, number 7

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekσῶμα“body”
  2. Frenchazote“nitrogen”
  3. Englishazotosome

From azote (“nitrogen”) + -o- + -some (“body”), from French azote (“nitrogen”) and Ancient Greek σῶμα (sôma, “body”), a "nitrogen body", formed by analogy with liposome.

More words from French, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

azotosome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/azotosome

MLA

“azotosome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/azotosome. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “azotosome,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/azotosome.

Source: azotosome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.