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Origin and history of desmotrope

desmotrope(n.)

1914, "a substance obtained from desmotropy," from desmotropy, a scientific word coined by Paul Jacobson in 1888 from Greek desmos "ligament" (see desmo-) + trepein "to turn, to change" (from PIE root *trep- "to turn"); so called "because the phenomenon is produced by a change in the linking of the atoms." [Carl Schorlemmer, "Rise and Development of Organic Chemistry," 1894]. It replaced earlier tautomerism. Related: desmotropy; desmotropic; desmotropism.

also from 1914

Entries linking to desmotrope

desmo-

before vowels desm-, word-forming element used in scientific compounds and meaning "band, bond, ligament," from Greek desmos "bond, fastening, chain," related to dein "to bind," from PIE root *dē- "to bind."

*trep-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to turn."

It might form all or part of: apotropaic; atropine; Atropos; contrive; entropy; heliotrope; isotropic; psychotropic; retrieve; trope; -trope; trophy; tropic; tropical; tropism; troposphere; troubadour; zoetrope.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit trapate "is ashamed, confused," properly "turns away in shame;" Greek trepein "to turn," tropos "a turn, direction, course," tropē "a turning;" Latin trepit "he turns."

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