Etymograph

English

chromatin

Chromatin comes from German Chromatin, from Ancient Greek χρῶμα ‘colour’, and ultimately from Proto-Hellenic *kʰrṓwmə.

  1. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰrṓwməreconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχρῶμαkhrôma‘colour’
  3. Germanc. 1650–presentChromatin
  4. Englishtodaychromatin

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰrṓwməreconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχρῶμαkhrôma‘colour’
  3. Germanc. 1650–presentChromatin
  4. Englishtodaychromatin

Formed from chromatic ‘of colour’ + -in ‘substance’

French chromatique

English chromatic

Linked words

through Ancient Greek χρῶμα ‘colour’

monochromatic, 17 more

Today it means

noun A complex of DNA, RNA and proteins within the cell nucleus out of which chromosomes condense during cell division.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *kʰrṓwmə / chromatin

Shirt and support for this word