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biochimie

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Etymology and origin of the French word biochimie

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1838 Académie, Complément of 1842 More words from the 19th century
Ultimate origin
French bio-,chimie

Pronunciation

  • /bjɔ.ʃi.mi/[1]

Forms

biochimie f (plural biochimies)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French bio- + chimie.[2][3][4][5] Littré explains the first part as the Greek word for "life", Ancient Greek βίος (bíos).[6][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi finds it first in 1838, as recorded in the Complément of the Académie's dictionary (1842), for the study of living beings and their processes from the point of view of chemistry.[2] The Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Rey give 1842; the GLLF dates it from Littré (1863).[3][4][7][5]

Semantic evolution

Littré described it as the branch of biology dealing with the chemical make-up of the substances produced by life.[6] Today it covers all the chemical study of tissues and living beings, and is also called chimie biologique.[7][2][5] The adjective biochimique dates from the same year, while biochimiste appears only in 1920–24.[2]

Timeline

  • 1838 – First record, with the adjective biochimique.[2]
  • 1842 – Recorded in the Complément of the Académie's dictionary.[2][7]
  • 1863 – Littré records it.[5][6]
  • 1920–24 – Biochimiste is first recorded.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. biochemistry: the science of the chemical composition and reactions of living matter.[8][4][2]

Word family

  • biochimique
  • biochimiste

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Biochimie.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/biochimie. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·