Vitamin
/ˈvaɪtəmɪn/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Definition
nounA natural substance needed in small amounts for good health.
Extra definitions
nounAn organic substance needed for health.
nounA nutrient in food or supplements.
nounA compound essential for body functions.
Sentence Examples
Synonyms & Antonyms
Word Origin & History
First use appears c. 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.