A description of the rationale behind the formation of the
blend (with modifications) of the word `prion'.
The word `prion' was coined by Dr. Stanley Prusiner to be used for a
new type of PROteinaceous INfectious particles, using the
elements PRO and IN, but with the vowels switched around, and combined as
PRI+ON (rather than PRO+IN, as is usual with blends). Scrapie, by
the way, is a disease that affects sheep in a manner similar to the
so-called 'Mad Cow Disease'. Note that Dr. Prusiner erroneously uses the
term 'acronym' for what is actually more like a 'blend'
Dr. Prusiner's article entitled ``Novel
Proteinacious Infectious Particles Cause Scrapie" from which the above
excerpt was taken, appeared in the journal Science on April 9,
1982; this was reported in the New Yorker on December 2, 1996, p.
75.
Dr. Prusiner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine on October 7, 1997,
primarily for his work on prions . Note that words like
protein-ace-ous are themselves inventions: `protein' is from Greek
proteus `first, most important' and the suffix -aceous
is used to refer to classifications of plants and animals, using -ace
and -aceae plus -ous a Latin suffix meaning `full
of'.
In case you think the prion's existence has been proven see also
these articles: