origin and definition of 'analyte'

[Jesse Sheidlower]

On Wed, Aug 14, 2002 at 01:24:35PM -0400, Anne Marie Hamilton wrote:

> My fiance, a biochemist, is interested in knowing the origin
>and precise definition of a word in common use among his
>cronies.

The term was apparently coined by chemist C. M. Crawford in
1955, with the _-lyte_ from the Greek element that also
occurs in _electrolyte_ (e.g. 'that may be dissolved;
soluble').

Jesse Sheidlower