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DMSO

(dē′ĕm-ĕs-ō)

A colorless hygroscopic liquid, (CH₃)₂SO, obtained from lignin, used as an industrial solvent and in medicine as a penetrant to convey medications into the tissues.

[D(I)M(ETHYL)S(ULF)O(XIDE).]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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