tetracyclic

T1E1T1R1A1C3Y4C3L1I1C3

adjective

Having four rings.

OriginEnglish cyclic ← Classical Latin cyclicus ← French cyclique →
Scrabble 20
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Meanings

adjectivetetracyclic (not comparable)
  1. not comparablechemistryHaving four rings.
  2. not comparablemedicineOf a pharmaceutical: based upon tetracycline.
  3. not comparablebiologyOf a flower: composed of four whorls or organs.
nountetracyclic (plural tetracyclics)

plural tetracyclics

  1. Any drug derived from tetracycline

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kʷetwóres
  2. Proto-Hellenic*kʷétwores
  3. Ancient Greekτέσσᾰρες (téssăres)
  4. Ancient Greekτετρᾰ- (tetră-)
  5. Englishtetra-
  6. Ancient Greekκυκλῐκός (kuklĭkós)
  7. Classical Latincyclicu
  8. Middle Frenchcyclique
  9. Frenchcyclique
  10. Classical Latincyclicus
  11. Englishcyclic
  12. Englishtetracyclic

From tetra- + cyclic.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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