photopigment

P3H4O1T1O1P3I1G2M3E1N1T1

noun

Any pigment that is unstable in the presence of light; used especially of the chromophore pigments in the rod cells and cone cells of the eye

OriginEnglish pigment ← Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos →
Scrabble 22
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Meanings

nounphotopigment (plural photopigments)

plural photopigments

  1. Any pigment that is unstable in the presence of light; used especially of the chromophore pigments in the rod cells and cone cells of the eye

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. Englishpigment
  9. Englishphotopigment

From photo- + pigment.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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