Collagen
/ˈkɒl.ə.dʒən/noun
A structural protein found abundantly in connective tissues such as skin, bone, cartilage, and tendons.
Did you know?The name comes from Greek kólla, “glue,” because collagen was historically associated with gelatin, a sticky substance produced by boiling connective tissue.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kólla
“Glue; a sticky adhesive substance”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-genēs
“Producing, generating, or born from”
19th Century
German
Kollagen
“A substance producing glue or gelatin when treated”
1865
Scientific English
collagen
“The connective-tissue substance associated with gelatin formation”
Modern English
English
collagen
“A fibrous structural protein that supports skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, and other tissues”