Cadaverine

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kəˈdævəɹɪn/

Definitions

1. A biogenic amine produced in decaying animal tissue, contributing to the odor of rotting flesh
2. A compound formed from the breakdown of the amino acid lysine during putrefaction, often associated with corpses
3. An aliphatic amine that arises from protein decomposition, notable for its foul smell linked to cadavers

Etymology: Cadaverine is a chemical name built the way chemists build many names: it takes the Latin "cadāver," meaning "corpse," and adds the suffix "-ine," used for basic nitrogen compounds such as amines. The result is a name that announces its character before you even know the molecule. It is a foul-smelling compound produced when bacteria break down the amino acid lysine, which is why it is strongly associated with decay. The word is a deliberate piece of scientific naming rather than an old word with an old meaning. Its structure is transparent to anyone who knows Latin: "cadaver" plus the chemical ending. A reader who has never studied chemistry can still guess what the substance is connected with, which is the point of such coinages. Its close relative, "putrescine," is named in the same spirit, from the Latin "putrescere," meaning "to rot."