saponin
UK[ˈsæpənɪn]US[ˈsæpənɪn]
n
a toxic compound which is present in soapwort and some other plants and forms a soapy lather when shaken with water.
n
any of a group of plant glycosides with similar foaming properties.
Morpheme Breakdown
sapon
in
sapon
soap
in
chemical substance
Etymology
the word saponin is a modern scientific formation, directly built from classical latin roots. it derives from the latin noun 'sapo, saponis', meaning 'soap', which itself is likely a loanword from an early germanic language. the suffix '-in', commonly used in chemistry since the 19th century, is adopted from latin and greek patterns to denote neutral substances, especially nitrogenous compounds or, in this case, glycosides. thus, saponin literally means a 'soap-like substance', perfectly describing its characteristic of producing a stable foam when agitated in water, a property discovered in plants like soapwort.
Analysis
Structure: sapon (soap) + in (chemical substance)
sapon (from latin 'sapo, saponis', meaning 'soap', indicating the soapy quality); in (a suffix used in chemistry to form names of substances, such as proteins or glycosides, often derived from greek or latin neuter suffixes).
Examples
saponins are responsible for the foaming action when certain plants are crushed in water.
the bitter taste of quinoa is due to the presence of saponins in its outer coating.
researchers are studying the potential cholesterol-lowering effects of some saponins.