Necrobiotic
/ˌnɛk.roʊ.baɪˈɑːtɪk/noun
Relating to or characterized by the death of living tissue or cells.
Did you know?Necrobiotic is a modern scientific formation from Greek roots, and its first element, necro-, comes from the same ancient death-root that also haunts words like necromancy and necropolis.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
nekrós
“dead body; corpse”
Ancient Greek
Greek
bíos
“life”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-tikos
“pertaining to”
19th Century
English
necrobiotic
“formed in modern scientific usage to describe death-related changes in living tissue”
Modern English
English
necrobiotic
“relating to the death of cells or tissues”
Explore more surprising origins