Peptidoglycan
/ˌpɛp.tɪ.doʊˈɡlaɪ.kæn/noun
A structural polymer that forms the rigid cell wall of most bacteria.
Did you know?Peptidoglycan was coined in modern scientific Latin from Greek-derived parts, combining the idea of “digested” material with “sweet” in the name of a bacterial cell-wall substance.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
πέπτω (péptō)
“to digest, cook down, or ripen”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γλυκύς (glykýs)
“sweet”
19th Century
Scientific Latin/English
pept- + glyco-
“Combining forms used in chemistry and biology for digested substances and sugar-related compounds”
20th Century
English
peptidoglycan
“A term coined for the sugar-and-peptide polymer in bacterial cell walls”