photocage

P3H4O1T1O1C3A1G2E1

noun

Any of several molecular species that can be activated by light; they are used especially in biochemistry to attach a molecule to a biologically active compound and then study its behaviour once activated.

OriginEnglish cage ← Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos →
Scrabble 17
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounphotocage (plural photocages)

plural photocages

  1. chemistryAny of several molecular species that can be activated by light; they are used especially in biochemistry to attach a molecule to a biologically active compound and then study its behaviour once activated.

Origin

  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. Englishcage
  9. Englishphotocage

From photo- + cage.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

photocage. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photocage

MLA

“photocage.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photocage. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “photocage,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photocage.

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