protoporphyrin

P3R1O1T1O1P3O1R1P3H4Y4R1I1N1

noun

Any porphyrin that lacks a central metal ion

OriginEnglish porphyrin ← German Porphyrin ← Ancient Greek πρωτο- (prōto-) →
UncommonScrabble 26
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Meanings

nounprotoporphyrin (plural protoporphyrins)

plural protoporphyrins

  1. biochemistryAny porphyrin that lacks a central metal ion

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  3. Proto-Indo-European*pró
  4. Ancient Greekπρό (pró)
  5. Ancient Greekπρῶτος (prôtos)
  6. Ancient Greekπρωτο- (prōto-)
  7. Englishproto-
  8. GermanPorphyrin
  9. Englishporphyrin
  10. Englishprotoporphyrin

From proto- + porphyrin.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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