Opsin
/ˈɒp.sɪn/noun
Any of a family of light-sensitive proteins in the retina that enable vision.
Did you know?The name comes from Greek ὄψις (opsis), meaning “sight” or “appearance,” and scientists use it for the light-detecting proteins that make vision possible in animals.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὄψις (opsis)
“sight, appearance, seeing”
Late 19th Century
German
Opsin
“a visual substance in the retina”
Early 20th Century
English
opsin
“a light-sensitive retinal pigment”
Modern English
English
opsin
“any of a family of light-sensitive proteins in the retina”