Advertisement

Origin and history of vitamin

vitamin(n.)

1920, originally vitamine (1912) coined by Polish biochemist Casimir Funk (1884-1967), from Latin vita "life" (see vita) + amine, because they were thought to contain amino acids. Related: Vitaminic.

The terminal -e formally was stripped off when scientists learned the true nature of the substance; -in was acceptable because it was used for neutral substances of undefined composition. The lettering system of nomenclature (Vitamin A, B, C, etc.) was introduced at the same time (1920).

also from 1920

Entries linking to vitamin

amine(n.)

"compound in which one of the hydrogen atoms of ammonia is replaced by a hydrocarbon radical," 1863, from ammonia + chemical suffix -ine (2).

vita(n.)

plural vitae, Latin, literally "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live"). As "biography," by 1949. Vita Nuova "the New Life" was the title of Dante's work.

*gwei-

also *gweie-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to live."

It might form all or part of: abiogenesis; aerobic; amphibian; anaerobic; azo-; azoic; azotemia; bio-; biography; biology; biome; bionics; biopsy; biota; biotic; cenobite; Cenozoic; convivial; couch (n.2) "grass;" epizoic; epizoon; epizootic; macrobiotic; Mesozoic; microbe; Protozoa; protozoic; quick; quicken; quicksand; quicksilver; quiver (v.) "to tremble;" revive; survive; symbiosis; viable; viand; viper; vita; vital; vitamin; victuals; viva; vivace; vivacious; vivarium; vivid; vivify; viviparous; vivisection; whiskey; wyvern; zodiac; Zoe; zoetrope; zoic; zoo-; zoolatry; zoology; zoon; zoophilia; zoophobia; zooplankton.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit jivah "alive, living;" Old Persian *jivaka- "alive," Middle Persian zhiwak "alive;" Greek bios "one's life, course or way of living, lifetime," zōē "animal life, organic life;" Old English cwic, cwicu "living, alive;" Latin vivus "living, alive," vita "life;" Old Church Slavonic zivo "to live;" Lithuanian gyvas "living, alive," gyvata "(eternal) life;" Old Irish bethu "life," bith "age;" Welsh byd "world."

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    niacin
    "pellagra-preventing vitamin in enriched bread," 1942, coined from first syllables of  nicotinic acid (see nicotine)...
    rickets
    disease caused by vitamin D deficiency, 1630s, of uncertain origin (see note in OED)....
    rickettsia
    and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but is unrelated by pathology or etymology to rickets (q.v.), which is the result of vitamin...
    nutrition
    1550s, "act or process by which organisms absorb their proper food into their systems and build it into living tissue," from Old French nutrition (14c.) and directly from Latin nutritionem (nominative nutritio) "a nourishing," noun of action from past-participle stem of nutrire "
    nourishment
    early 15c., norishement, "food, sustenance, that which, taken into the system, tends to nourish," from Old French norissement "food, nourishment," from norrir (see nourish). From c. 1300 as "fostering, upbringing; act of nourishing or state of being nourished." Figurative sense o
    sustenance
    c. 1300, sustenaunce, "that which is essential to sustain life; food, victuals, provisions," also "means of living, income, wealth," from Anglo-French sustenance, sustenaunce, Old French sostenance "support, aid" (Modern French soutenance), from Late Latin sustinentia "endurance,
    victuals
    c. 1300, vitaylle (singular), from Anglo-French and Old French vitaille "food, nourishment, provisions," from Late Latin victualia "provisions," noun use of plural of victualis "of nourishment," from victus "livelihood, food, sustenance, that which sustains life," from past parti
    mystery
    early 14c., misterie, in a theological sense, "religious truth via divine revelation, hidden spiritual significance, mystical truth," from Anglo-French *misterie, Old French mistere "secret, mystery, hidden meaning" (Modern French mystère) and directly from Latin mysterium "secre
    race
    [act of running] late Old English, also rase, "a narrative, an account;" c. 1300, "an act of swift running, a hurried attack," also "a course of life or conduct, a swift current;" from Old Norse rās "a running, a rush (of water)," cognate with Old English ræs "a running, a rush,
    absorb
    "to drink in, suck up, take in by absorption," early 15c., from Old French absorbir, assorbir (13c., Modern French absorber), from Latin absorbere "to swallow up, devour," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + sorbere "suck in," from PIE root *srebh- "to suck, absorb" (source also

    Share vitamin

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near vitamin
    Advertisement