Karyon
/ˈkær.i.ɒn/noun
A kernel, especially the nucleus of a cell.
Did you know?Karyon comes from Greek káryon, a word for a nut or kernel, and it later became the scientific term for the cell nucleus because it suggested a hard inner core hidden inside the living body.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ker-
“A hard object, horn, or head; the root behind words for kernels and hard-shelled things.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
káryon
“A nut or kernel, especially the edible seed inside a hard shell.”
Late Latin
Latin
carion / caryon
“A nut or kernel, borrowed from Greek in learned usage.”
19th Century
English
karyon
“The nucleus of a cell, adopted in scientific terminology for its inner-core sense.”
Modern English
English
karyon
“A nucleus, especially the nucleus of a cell.”