Etymograph

English

molecule

Molecule comes from Latin mōlēs ‘a mass’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōlēs‘a mass’
  2. New Latinmodernmōlēcula
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentmolécule
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2013molecule

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōlēs‘a mass’
  2. New Latinmodernmōlēcula
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentmolécule
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2013molecule

Earliest quotation: 2013, -October, In the News: “The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *meh₃- ‘to exert’

amazing, maze, 5 more

through Latin mōlēs ‘a mass’

demolition, demolish, molest, 5 more

Today it means

noun The smallest particle of a specific element or compound that retains the chemical properties of that element or compound; two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.

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

Etymograph / Latin mōlēs / molecule

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