Salmonella
/ˌsælməˈnɛlə/noun
A type of rod-shaped bacteria that can cause food poisoning in humans.
Did you know?The name 'Salmonella' comes from a veterinary pathologist, Theobald Smith, who named it after his mentor, Daniel Elmer Salmon, despite Salmon never actually discovering it!
Etymological Timeline
Late 19th Century
Latin
Salmonella
“Named in honor of Daniel Elmer Salmon, a prominent figure in veterinary pathology.”
19th Century
English
Salmon
“Referring to the fish, from Latin 'salmo', likely related to jumping or leaping.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sal-
“To leap or jump, hinting at the fish's ability to jump upstream.”
Old French
Old French
salmon
“Direct borrowing from Latin, referring to the fish that was commonly consumed.”
Modern English
English
salmon
“Used to describe the fish, which is now integral to diets worldwide.”
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