Molecule — From Latin/French to English | etymologist.ai
molecule
/ˈmɒl.ɪ.kjuːl/·noun·1794 (in English)·Established
Origin
From Latin 'moles' (mass) — literally 'a small mass,' coined by philosopher Gassendi in the 1650s.
Definition
The smallest unit of a chemical compound that retains its chemical properties, consisting of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.
The Full Story
Latin/French18th century (scientific)well-attested
From ModernLatin molecula, a diminutive of Latin moles (mass, bulk, large structure), formed with the diminutive suffix -cula. Moles derives from PIE *mol- or *mel- (to grind, to crush into small pieces), cognate with Greek mylos (millstone) and English mill and meal (ground grain). The scientific term was popularised by French
Did you know?
The chemical unit 'mole' (6.022 x 10²³ particles) takes its name from the sameLatin 'moles' via German 'Molekül.' Avogadro's number, which defines the mole, was named after the Italian scientist who first proposed that equal volumes of gases contain equal numbers of molecules — though the number itself was calculated by others decades after his death.