English
xylem
Xylem comes from German Xylem, and goes back to Ancient Greek ξύλον ‘wood’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEξύλονxúlon‘wood’
- Germanc. 1650–presentXylem
- Englishtodayxylem
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEξύλονxúlon‘wood’
- Germanc. 1650–presentXylem
- Englishtodayxylem
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kes- ‘to scrape’
through Ancient Greek ξύλον ‘wood’
Today it means
noun A vascular tissue in land plants primarily responsible for the distribution of water and minerals taken up by the roots; also the primary component of wood.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ξύλον / xylem