name given to a region in plant and animal cells, 1889, from German centrosoma (1888), coined by German zoologist Theodor Boveri (1862-1915), from centro- (see center (n.)) + -some (3).
Entries linking to centrosome
center n.
late 14c., "middle point of a circle; point round which something revolves," from Old French centre (14c.), from Latin centrum "center," originally the fixed point of the two points of a drafting compass (hence "the center of a circle"), from Greek kentron "sharp point, goad, sting of a wasp," from kentein "stitch," from PIE root *kent- "to prick" (source also of Breton kentr "a spur," Welsh cethr "nail," Old High German hantag "sharp, pointed").
The spelling with -re was popularized in Britain by Johnson's dictionary (following Bailey's), though -er is older and was used by Shakespeare, Milton, and Pope. The meaning "the middle of anything" attested from 1590s. Figuratively, "point of concentration" (of power, etc.), from 1680s. The political use, originally in reference to France, "representatives of moderate views" (between left and right) is from 1837. Center of gravity is recorded from 1650s. Center of attention is from 1868.
-some 3
word-forming element meaning "the body," Modern Latin, from Greek sōma "the body" (see somato-).
centriole n.
in cytology, a minute body within a centrosome, 1896, from German centriol (1895), from Modern Latin centriolum, diminutive of Latin centrum (see center (n.), and compare centrosome).