protein English · revision 4743

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1838|origins=grc πρῶτος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈprəʊ.tiːn/, US /ˈproʊ.tiːn/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|protéine]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) also German Protein,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) coined in 1838 by the Dutch chemist Gerardus Johannes Mulder,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) perhaps on the suggestion of Berzelius,^(Etymonline) from [[grc|πρωτεῖος|tr=prōteîos|t=of the first quality, primary]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from prôtos “first”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) with the suffix -ine.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[proto-]] and [[protagonist]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Mulder's name for a nitrogenous substance thought to be the essential constituent of all animals and plants and of food: 1838 in the OED,^(OED 1989) 1844 in Barnhart, Etymonline and MWU.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Further work overturned Mulder's theory, but the words protein and proteid stayed in use for other organic compounds, and the modern general sense arose in German.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The confusion became so great that in 1907 a committee fixed protein in its modern meaning, a class of organic compounds essential to all living things, and dropped proteid.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''Proteinaceous'' is from 1844.^(OED 1989) Compounds such as ''protein plastic'' are from 1936.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1838 – coined by Mulder.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1844 – in English.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1907 – the modern meaning fixed.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1936 – ''protein plastic''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of a large class of complex organic compounds made of chains of [[amino acid]]s, found in all living [[cell]]s and including enzymes, hormones and antibodies.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Such compounds as a part of the diet, found especially in meat, fish, eggs and beans.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[proteinaceous]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[proteo-]]

+ * [[proto-]]

+ * [[protagonist]]

+ * [[prototype]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}