English
antibiotic
Antibiotic comes from French antibiotique, from biotique ‘biotic’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek βίος ‘life’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβίοςbíos‘life’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEβιωτικός‘of or pertaining to life’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEbioticus
- Frenchc. 1600–presentbiotique‘biotic’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentantibiotique
- Englishearliest quotation 2009antibiotic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβίοςbíos‘life’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEβιωτικός‘of or pertaining to life’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEbioticus
- Frenchc. 1600–presentbiotique‘biotic’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentantibiotique
- Englishearliest quotation 2009antibiotic
Earliest quotation: 2009, Nicholas Kristof, Food for the Soul: “On a summer visit back to the farm here…”
Equivalent to anti- + -biotic
Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- ‘forehead’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts ‘forehead’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti ‘opposite’
Ancient Greek ᾰ̓ντῐ́ ‘over against, opposite’
English anti-
Linked words
through Ancient Greek βίος ‘life’
biology, biography, bios, biota, 15 more
through Ancient Greek βιωτικός ‘of or pertaining to life’
Today it means
noun Any substance that can destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria and similar microorganisms, generally transported by the lymphatic system.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek βίος / antibiotic