tetrahydrofolate

noun

The conjugate base of, or any salt or ester of, tetrahydrofolic acid; it is a coenzyme, formed by reduction of folic acid, involved in the biosynthesis of purines.

OriginEnglish folate ← Ancient Greek τετρᾰ- (tetră-) ← Proto-Hellenic *kʷétwores →
UncommonScrabble 26
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Meanings

nountetrahydrofolate (plural tetrahydrofolates)

plural tetrahydrofolates

  1. biochemistryThe conjugate base of, or any salt or ester of, tetrahydrofolic acid; it is a coenzyme, formed by reduction of folic acid, involved in the biosynthesis of purines.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kʷetwóres
  2. Proto-Hellenic*kʷétwores
  3. Ancient Greekτέσσᾰρες (téssăres)
  4. Ancient Greekτετρᾰ- (tetră-)
  5. Englishtetra-
  6. Englishhydro-
  7. Englishfolate
  8. Englishtetrahydrofolate

From tetra- + hydro- + folate.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Italian tetraidrofolato
  • tetraidrofolatocoenzyme
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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