Phycoerythrin

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌfaɪkəʊ.iˈɹɪθɹɪn/

Definitions

1. A natural pigment present in some algae and cyanobacteria that assists in photosynthesis while exhibiting fluorescence and contributing to the vivid red coloration of aquatic life forms
2. A protein pigment found in certain algae and cyanobacteria that absorbs light for photosynthesis and emits reddish fluorescence
3. A fluorescent pigment present in marine algae and bacteria which aids in capturing light energy and imparts red coloring

Etymology: Phycoerythrin is a compound coinage built from Greek pieces: "phyco-", from Greek "phykos" meaning seaweed or algae, joined to "erythr-", from Greek "erythros" meaning red, plus the chemical suffix "-in". The pieces record exactly what the pigment is and what it does. Its name is a description rather than a story about a person or event. The "erythr-" element goes back to the Greek "erythros," which is the same root behind "erythrocyte," the red blood cell. Scientists in the modern era reused classical roots in this way to name newly isolated substances, so the word was assembled from ancient parts rather than used in antiquity. The "-in" ending is the common suffix for proteins and similar compounds. The result is a precise label: a red pigment found in algae, whose name points to both its colour and its seaweed-like source. Its reddish hue is what made the name fitting for the pigment's role in marine organisms.