entry
radioimmunoelectrophoresis
/ˌreɪdioʊˌɪmjunoʊɪˌlɛktroʊfəˈriːsɪs/Radiolabeled antibody separation technique for identifying proteins
From Latin radio (ray) + Latin immuno (immunity or exemption from obligation) + Greek electro (electricity).
Word Ancestry
A laboratory name this enormous usually began with a very small object: a piece of amber. The Greeks called amber ἤλεκτρον, and their observations of rubbed amber eventually gave science “electric” and “electro-”—a reminder that modern protein analysis has a fossilized beach ornament hiding inside it. The immuno- part reaches back to Latin immūnis, meaning “exempt”: someone immune was originally free from a civic duty, not protected from a virus. Meanwhile, -phoresis means “carrying,” so electrophoresis is, literally, electrically assisted carrying; in this case, proteins are hauled through a gel while antibodies help identify them and radioactive labels make the target visible. The radio- prefix comes from Latin radius, a ray or beam, and became a familiar English word during the radio boom of 1921–22, when President Warren Harding even had a radio set installed in his study. Put it all together and the word is a compact scientific movie: electricity carries immune targets, while radiation points a detectable finger at the one you wanted.
The Story
A laboratory name this enormous usually began with a very small object: a piece of amber. The Greeks called amber ἤλεκτρον, and their observations of rubbed amber eventually gave science “electric” and “electro-”—a reminder that modern protein analysis has a fossilized beach ornament hiding inside it. The immuno- part reaches back to Latin immūnis, meaning “exempt”: someone immune was originally free from a civic duty, not protected from a virus. Meanwhile, -phoresis means “carrying,” so electrophoresis is, literally, electrically assisted carrying; in this case, proteins are hauled through a gel while antibodies help identify them and radioactive labels make the target visible. The radio- prefix comes from Latin radius, a ray or beam, and became a familiar English word during the radio boom of 1921–22, when President Warren Harding even had a radio set installed in his study. Put it all together and the word is a compact scientific movie: electricity carries immune targets, while radiation points a detectable finger at the one you wanted.
Kin & Kindred
From 'radio'·ray, beam; in modern science, radiation or radio transmission
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'immuno'·immunity or exemption from obligation
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From 'electro'·electricity, from amber associated with electric attraction
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From 'phoresis'·carrying or movement
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English words from this root