tholin
English
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Etymology
editFrom Ancient Greek θολός (tholós, “muddy”) + -in. Coined by Carl Sagan and Bishun Khare in 1979. From the muddy coloration that this class of chemical compounds appear to have, when observed on the Saturnian moon Titan, and from Miller–Urey-style experiments.
Noun
edittholin (plural tholins)
- (organic chemistry, astronomy) Any of several poorly classified heteropolymers derived from simple hydrocarbons and ammonia formed by solar irradiation in the atmospheres of icy planets and moons.
Descendants
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editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editBorrowed from English tholin, from Ancient Greek θολός (tholós, “muddy”).
Pronunciation
editAudio: (file)
Noun
edittholin m (plural tholins)
Categories:
- English terms derived from a Pre-Greek substrate
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English terms suffixed with -in
- English terms coined by Carl Sagan
- English coinages
- English terms coined by Bishun Khare
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- en:Organic chemistry
- en:Astronomy
- French terms borrowed from English
- French terms derived from English
- French terms derived from Ancient Greek
- French terms with audio links
- French lemmas
- French nouns
- French countable nouns
- French masculine nouns