Amygdalin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A natural compound derived from various seeds and plants that can yield cyanide following metabolic processes
2. A glycoside found in particular fruit seeds which may generate cyanide when ingested and broken down
3. A substance occurring naturally in some plant seeds that produces cyanide when metabolized

Etymology: Amygdalin takes its name from the Greek "amygdalē," meaning "almond," the nut in which the compound was first identified. The suffix "-in" is the standard chemists' ending for a substance derived from a plant or animal source, so the name simply records where the compound was found: the almond kernel and the stones of other fruits such as peaches, apricots and cherries. The "amygdal-" element survives in several other scientific terms. Anatomists use "amygdala" for the almond-shaped clusters of neurons deep in the brain, and the same Greek root gives us "amygdaloid," meaning almond-shaped. Each of these words kept the original image of the almond nut and applied it to a new object of study.