Embryoblast
/ˈɛm.bri.oʊ.blæst/noun
The inner cell mass of a mammalian blastocyst that develops into the embryo.
Did you know?Embryoblast is a modern scientific term built from Greek roots meaning “embryo” and “sprout/bud,” so even in biology, the language of becoming is ancient and almost magical.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
ἐμβρυον (émbryon)
“an unborn child or embryo”
Ancient Greek
Gk
βλαστός (blastós)
“a sprout, bud, or shoot”
19th Century
Neo-Latin / Scientific English
embryoblastus
“a term formed in scientific Latin for an embryonic cell mass”
Modern English
English
embryoblast
“the cell mass in the early embryo that gives rise to the organism”
Explore more surprising origins