Biliverdin
/ˌbɪlɪˈvɜːrdɪn/noun
A green bile pigment produced when hemoglobin is broken down.
Did you know?Biliverdin is responsible for the green stage of a fading bruise and also helps produce the vivid blue-green colors found in some bird eggs and animal tissues.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷʰel-
“Yellow or green; a proposed root connected with the color of bile”
Classical Latin
Latin
bilis
“Bile, the bitter greenish-yellow digestive fluid”
Classical Latin
Latin
viridis
“Green, fresh, or flourishing”
19th Century
New Latin
biliverdin
“A scientific compound formed from bilis, “bile,” and viridis, “green””
Modern English
English
biliverdin
“A green bile pigment formed during the breakdown of hemoglobin”