English
keratin
Keratin comes from Ancient Greek κέρας ‘horn’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱerh₂-root as named
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kératsreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκέραςkéras‘horn’
- Germanc. 1650–presentKeratin
- Englishtodaykeratin
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱerh₂-root as named
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kératsreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκέραςkéras‘horn’
- Germanc. 1650–presentKeratin
- Englishtodaykeratin
Formed from -in
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-
horn, hart, cheer, cerebral, corny, grail, migraine, cornea, crater, cairn, cornet, carotid, cerebellum, cranium, procrastinate, cerebrum, rother, 52 more
through Ancient Greek κέρας ‘horn’
Today it means
noun The protein of which hair and nails are composed.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂- / keratin