collagen

Etymology

From French collagène, coined from Ancient Greek κόλλα (kólla, “glue”) and -γενής (-genḗs, “-forming”) (see -gen); it is the main substance that animal glues are derived from.

noun

  1. (biochemistry) Any of more than 28 types of glycoprotein that form elongated fibers, usually found in the extracellular matrix of connective tissue.
    Science cannot yet account for the conversion of collagen into gelatin. 1843, R. F. Marchand, “On the Chemical Composition of the Bones”, in The Chemist, volume 4, page 57

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