amino
n. countablen. a small building block that your body uses to make proteins. You get these from eating food like meat, beans, and eggs.
n. an organic compound containing both a carboxyl and an amino group, serving as a fundamental building block of proteins. Often used as a shortened form of 'amino acid' in casual scientific or nutritional contexts.
Your body needs different amino acids to stay healthy.
Athletes often take supplements to ensure they get enough essential amino acids for muscle recovery.
The specific sequence of amino acids determines the unique three-dimensional structure and functional properties of every protein synthesized within the cell.
From the prefix amino-, from amine, from ammonia + -ine.
Commonly appears in the compound form 'amino acid'; when used alone, it typically functions as a plural noun in nutritional discussions.