English
metabolize
Metabolize comes from Ancient Greek μετᾰβολή ‘change, mutation’, from βάλλω ‘to throw’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷelH-‘to hit by throwing’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷl̥-ne-h₁-reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*gʷəlnōreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβάλλω‘to throw’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμεταβάλλω‘to change’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμετᾰβολήmetăbolḗ‘change, mutation’
- Englishearliest quotation 1887metabolize
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷelH-‘to hit by throwing’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷl̥-ne-h₁-reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*gʷəlnōreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEβάλλω‘to throw’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμεταβάλλω‘to change’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμετᾰβολήmetăbolḗ‘change, mutation’
- Englishearliest quotation 1887metabolize
Earliest quotation: 1887, L. H., Zoölogy in the college course: “We believe this to be the true way to…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- ‘to hit by throwing’
ball, quail, quill, quell, obelisk, pul, 65 more
through Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō
symbolic, ballistic, ballista, symbolist, 36 more
through Ancient Greek βάλλω ‘to throw’
problem, devil, symbol, emblem, parable, hyperbolic, embolism, parabolic, anabolic, hyperbola, 35 more
Today it means
verb To undergo metabolism.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- / metabolize