small-molecule-based)
|small-mol-e-cule-based|
🇺🇸
/ˌsmɔːlˈmɑləkjuːlˌbeɪst/
🇬🇧
/ˌsmɔːlˈmɒlɪkjuːlˌbeɪst/
(small-molecule-based)
based on small molecules
Etymology
'small-molecule-based' is a modern English compound formed by combining the adjective 'small', the noun 'molecule', and the suffix-derived adjective 'based' to indicate something that is founded on or uses small molecules.
'molecule' originates from Latin 'molecula' (diminutive of 'moles' meaning 'mass'), passed into scientific usage via French 'molécule' and New Latin; the compound adjective 'small-molecule-based' arose in 20th-century scientific English as a descriptive term in chemistry and pharmacology.
Initially 'molecule' referred to a tiny mass or unit; over time it came to denote a chemical unit of matter, and 'small-molecule-based' developed to specifically denote approaches or products relying on low-molecular-weight chemical entities (as opposed to biologics).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
based on or involving small molecules (low-molecular-weight chemical compounds), as opposed to biologics or large macromolecules; used especially in chemistry and pharmacology to describe drugs, inhibitors, or assays.
The research team developed a small-molecule-based inhibitor that can be taken orally.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/09 12:56