Xylan
/ˈzaɪlən/noun
A polysaccharide found in plant cell walls, especially in hemicellulose.
Did you know?Xylan was named from Greek xylon, meaning “wood,” because it is a major structural component of woody plant tissue and other plant cell walls.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ξύλον (xylon)
“wood; a piece of wood; tree”
Late 19th Century
English
xylan
“a wood-derived plant polysaccharide”
Modern English
English
xylan
“a hemicellulose polysaccharide found in plant cell walls”
Modern Scientific Latin
Latin
xylanum
“scientific coined form based on Greek xylon”