glycerin
UK[ˈɡlɪsərɪn]US[ˈɡlɪsərɪn]
n
a sweet, thick, clear liquid used in making medicines, foods, and explosives.
n
a syrupy, sweet-tasting trihydroxy alcohol obtained from fats and oils, used as a solvent, sweetener, and in making explosives and antifreeze.
Morpheme Breakdown
glyc
erin
glyc
sweet
erin
chemical suffix
Etymology
the word glycerin originates from the french 'glycérine', which was coined by the chemist michel-eugène chevreul in 1811. he derived it from the greek root 'glykys', meaning 'sweet', in reference to the compound's sweet taste. the suffix '-erin' or '-ine' was appended to form a noun typical of chemical substances. thus, the term's literal construction as "sweet substance" directly and logically describes its most notable physical property.
Analysis
Structure: glyc (sweet) + erin (chemical suffix)
glyc comes from greek 'glykys' meaning sweet. erin is a modern chemical suffix, likely derived from or influenced by the ending of words like 'glycerine'.
Examples
glycerin is commonly used as a moisturizing agent in soaps and lotions.
the explosive nitroglycerin is made by treating glycerin with nitric and sulfuric acids.
some cough syrups contain glycerin for its soothing and sweetening properties.