English
enkephalin
Enkephalin comes from Ancient Greek ἐγκέφαλος ‘brain’, from κεφᾰλή ‘head’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-l̥.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-l̥‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰepʰəlā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκεφᾰλή‘head’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐγκέφαλοςenképhalos‘brain’
- Englishearliest quotation 1996enkephalin
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰebʰ-l̥‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kʰepʰəlā́reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκεφᾰλή‘head’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐγκέφαλοςenképhalos‘brain’
- Englishearliest quotation 1996enkephalin
Earliest quotation: 1996, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest […]: “Some of the more marginal players start in as…”
Formed from -in
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ- ‘to give’
through Proto-Hellenic *kʰepʰəlā́
Today it means
noun Any of a group of pentapeptide endorphins that have opiate-like effects
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰebʰ-l̥ / enkephalin