authigenic
|au-thi-gen-ic|
/ˌɔːθɪˈdʒɛnɪk/
formed in place
Etymology
'authigenic' originates from Modern Latin 'authigenicus', ultimately from Ancient Greek 'authigenēs' (αὐθιγενής), where the element 'authi-' indicated 'in this place' or 'on the spot' and '-genēs' meant 'born' or 'produced'.
'authigenēs' in Greek gave rise to New/Modern Latin forms such as 'authigenicus', which entered scientific English as 'authigenic' in the 19th–20th century in geological and soil-science contexts.
Initially the components meant 'born/produced in the place', and the English technical meaning has remained close to that original idea: 'formed in the place where found'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
formed in the place where found (especially of minerals or sediments); produced in situ rather than transported from elsewhere.
Authigenic minerals often form within sediments after deposition rather than being transported from elsewhere.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/23 02:49