bradykinin
/ˌbreɪdiˈkaɪnɪn/
noun
Origin
Greek
βραδύς (bradys) — slow
Overview
Meaning Now
- A potent vasodilator peptide that is part of the kallikrein-kinin system, known for lowering blood pressure and causing pain and inflammation.
Literal older meaning
slow (brady-) + mover (-kinin)
Language path
Greek → New Latin → English
Earliest form
bradykinin
Earliest period
1940s
Journey
Bradykinin was discovered in 1948 by Brazilian scientists while studying the effects of snake venom. The name reflects its ability to cause a 'slow' contraction of isolated smooth muscle preparations, distinguishing it from other substances that caused rapid responses.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
βραδύς
“slow”
- 19th Century Scientific Latin
brady-
“slow (as a prefix)”
Adopted into scientific nomenclature
- 1948
bradykinin
“peptide causing slow contraction of smooth muscle”
Coined by researchers to describe the peptide's pharmacological effect
Connections
Word parts
brady-
prefix
slow
-kinin
root
a class of polypeptides; from Greek 'kinein' (to move)
Related across languages
Greek
βραδύς
slow
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Related to bradykinin
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.