English
catabolism
Catabolism comes from Ancient Greek καταβολή ‘throwing down’, and goes back to κᾰτᾰβάλλω.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκᾰτᾰβάλλωkătăbállō‘to throw down, cast down’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκαταβολήkatabolḗ‘throwing down’
- Englishtodaycatabolism
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκᾰτᾰβάλλωkătăbállō‘to throw down, cast down’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκαταβολήkatabolḗ‘throwing down’
- Englishtodaycatabolism
A compound of κᾰτᾰ́ ‘against’ + κατα- + βάλλω ‘to throw, cast, hurl’
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe ‘Deictic particle, here’
Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm ‘beside, near, by, with’
Proto-Indo-European *ḱm̥-th₂
Proto-Hellenic *kətá
Ancient Greek κᾰτᾰ́ ‘against’
Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- ‘to throw, reach, pierce’
Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō
Ancient Greek βάλλω ‘to throw, cast, hurl’
Every English word from Ancient Greek κᾰτᾰβάλλω
Today it means
noun Destructive (lytic) metabolism or metabolization, usually including the release of energy and breakdown of materials.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek κᾰτᾰβάλλω / catabolism