crystalline base, 1885, coined by German physiologist/chemist Albrecht Kossel from Greek adēn "gland" (see adeno-) + chemical suffix -ine (2). So called because it was derived from the pancreas of an ox.
Entries linking to adenine
adeno-
scientific word-forming element meaning "gland," from Greek adēn "gland," which is perhaps from a suffixed form of PIE root *engw- "groin; internal organ" (source also of Latin inguen "groin"), but Beekes rejects all cognates and calls it isolated.
-ine 2
word-forming element in chemistry, often interchangeable with -in (2), though modern use distinguishes them; early 19c., from French -ine, the suffix commonly used to form words for derived substances, hence its extended use in chemistry. It was applied unsystematically at first (as in aniline), but now has more restricted use.
The French suffix is from Latin -ina, fem. form of -inus, suffix used to form adjectives from nouns, and thus is identical with -ine (1).