anhydride

the word 'anhydride' is a modern scientific term constructed from greek components to precisely describe a chemical concept. the prefix 'an-' (from greek, meaning "without") is combined with the root 'hydr-', derived from the greek word 'hydōr' for "water". the suffix '-ide' is a conventional ending in chemical nomenclature, often indicating a class of compounds. thus, the term literally means "a compound without water," which directly and logically reflects its definition as a substance formed by the removal of water from another, such as an acid.

Structure: an (without) + hydr (water) + ide (chemical suffix) an: from greek, a prefix meaning "without" or "not". hydr: from greek 'hydōr', meaning "water". ide: a suffix used in chemistry to denote a binary compound or a compound derived from another.