English Explanatory Dictionary

vitamin

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of a specific group of organic compounds essential in small quantities for healthy human growth, metabolism, development, and body function; found in minute amounts in plant and animal foods or sometimes produced synthetically; deficiencies of specific vitamins produce specific disorders.
  2. preceding a word or its initial letter, to imply that the referent benefits health or wellness
verb
  1. To fortify with vitamins.

Pronunciation

/ˈvɪt.ə.mɪn/ /ˈvaɪ.tə.mɪn/ [ˈvʌɪ.ɾə.mɪn] en-us-vitamin.ogg /ˈvɑe.tə.mən/ [ˈvɑe.ɾə.mən] /ˈvɨt.ə.mɨn/ /vaɪ̯ˈt̪aː.mɪn̪/ /baɪ̯ˈt̪aː.mɪn̪/

Word forms

vitamin vitamins vitamining vitamined

Etymology

1920, originally vitamine (1912), from Latin vīta (“life”) (see vital) + amine (see amino acids). Vitamine coined by Polish biochemist Casimir Funk after the initial discovery of aberic acid (thiamine), when it was thought that all such nutrients would be amines. The term had become ubiquitous by the time it was discovered that vitamin C, among others, had no amine component. In 1920, British biochemist Jack Drummond proposed that the final -e be dropped to deemphasize the amine reference. The ending -in was acceptable because it was used for natural substances of undefined composition. Drummond also introduced the lettering system of nomenclature (Vitamin A, B, C, etc.) at this same time.

Synonyms

vitamin

Related words

vitamer :Category:Vitamins

Derived words

B vitamin sunshine vitamin vitamer vitaminic vitaminize vitamin A acid vitamin A vitamin B complex vitamin Bc vitamin B1 vitamin B2 vitamin B3 vitamin B4 vitamin B5 vitamin B6 vitamin B7 vitamin B9 vitamin B12 vitamin B17 vitamin B vitamin C vitamin D1 vitamin D2 vitamin D3 vitamin D4 vitamin D5 vitamin D vitamin E vitamin F vitamin G vitamin H vitamin I vitamin J vitamin K1 vitamin K2 vitamin K vitamin M vitamin O vitaminosis vitamin P vitamin R vitamin V
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