photosynthesis 的詞源

1895年，德語 Photosynthese 的借譯詞，由 photo- “光”（見 photo-)和 synthese “合成”（見 synthesis）組成。相關詞彙： Photosynthetic。另一個早期的詞是 photosyntax。

[T]he body of the work has been rendered into English with fidelity, the only change of moment being the substitution of the word "photosynthesis" for that of "assimilation." This change follows from a suggestion by Dr. Barnes, made a year ago before the American Association at Madison, who clearly pointed out the need of a distinctive term for the synthetical process in plants, brought about by protoplasm in the presence of chlorophyll and light. He proposed the word "photosyntax," which met with favor. In the discussion Professor MacMillan suggested the word "photosynthesis," as etymologically more satisfactory and accurate, a claim which Dr. Barnes showed could not be maintained. The suggestion of Dr. Barnes not only received tacit acceptance by the botanists of the association, but was practically approved by the Madison Congress in the course of a discussion upon this point. [The Botanical Gazette, vol. xix, 1894]

“這部作品的主體已經被忠實地翻譯成英語，唯一的重要變化是用“photosynthesis”代替“assimilation”這個詞。這個變化源於巴恩斯博士在一年前在麥迪遜的美國協會上提出的建議，他清楚地指出了植物中由原生質在葉綠素和光的存在下引起的合成過程需要一個獨特的術語。他提出了“photosyntax”這個詞，得到了贊同。在討論中，麥克米蘭教授提出了“photosynthesis”這個詞，從詞源上更加令人滿意和準確，這一點巴恩斯博士表明是無法維護的。巴恩斯博士的建議不僅得到了協會植物學家的默許，而且在關於這一點的討論中，麥迪遜國會實際上也批准了這個建議。[植物學雜誌，第19卷，1894年]