isoflavone
UK[ˌaɪsəʊˈfleɪvəʊn]US[ˌaɪsoʊˈfleɪvoʊn]
n
any of a group of organic compounds that are polyphenols and are found especially in plants of the legume family, some of which have estrogenic activity.
Morpheme Breakdown
iso
flav
one
iso
equal
flav
yellow
one
chemical suffix
Etymology
the term 'isoflavone' is a modern scientific coinage, constructed from classical roots to describe a specific chemical structure. the prefix 'iso-', from greek, indicates that this compound is an isomer of another class, meaning it shares the same molecular formula but has a different arrangement of atoms. the root 'flav-' derives from the latin word for yellow, reflecting the historical association of many flavonoid compounds with yellow plant pigments. the suffix '-one' is a standard chemical denotation for a ketone functional group, completing the word's precise technical meaning as a type of flavonoid isomer.
Analysis
Structure: iso (equal) + flav (yellow) + one (chemical suffix)
- iso: from greek 'ísos', meaning 'equal' or 'same'. in scientific terminology, it denotes sameness or isomerism.
- flav: from latin 'flavus', meaning 'yellow'. it functions as a root indicating a yellow color or a connection to flavonoids.
- one: a suffix of english origin used in chemistry to denote ketones or related compounds.
Examples
soybeans are a rich dietary source of the isoflavone genistein.
researchers are studying the potential health effects of this plant isoflavone.
the chemical structure of an isoflavone differs slightly from that of a flavone.