What does "vitamin" mean?

1. (essential nutrient) a natural substance in food, like fruit or vegetables, that helps your body work correctly and stay strong. 2. (health-giving thing) a word used before another word to suggest that something is very good for your health or spirit. 3. (to add vitamins) to add vitamins to food during the manufacturing process.

How do you use "vitamin"?

Often followed by a letter (A, B, C, etc.) to specify the type. This transitive verb form is rare in modern English; 'fortify' or 'enrich' is preferred.

vitamin

n. · v.

US //ˈvaɪtəmən// UK //vˈɪtəmɪn// vi·ta·min

1 essential nutrient (n.)
B1 Intermediate Medicine

a natural substance in food, like fruit or vegetables, that helps your body work correctly and stay strong.

any of a group of organic substances that are essential in small amounts to maintaining normal health and metabolic functions.

Example

Oranges are a great source of vitamin C, which helps your body fight colds.

Example

A balanced diet typically provides all the necessary vitamins, though some people require supplements to address specific nutritional deficiencies.

Usage

Often followed by a letter (A, B, C, etc.) to specify the type.
- nutrient
- supplement
2 health-giving thing (n.)
C1 Advanced Informal Humorous

a word used before another word to suggest that something is very good for your health or spirit.

used figuratively and informally before a noun or letter to imply that the referent promotes wellness or vitality.

Example

I call my morning walk 'vitamin N' because being in nature makes me feel better.

Example

The coach described the team's weekend retreat as 'vitamin S' for the soul, emphasizing its restorative effect on their morale.

Teacher's tip

This is a creative, non-literal use of the word often seen in lifestyle blogs or casual conversation.
- boost
- tonic

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3 to add vitamins (v.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Technical Science

to add vitamins to food during the manufacturing process.

to fortify or enrich a food product with supplemental vitamins.

Example

In the past, some companies tried to vitamin their products to make them seem healthier.

Example

Early twentieth-century efforts to vitamin white flour were met with both public enthusiasm and regulatory scrutiny.

Usage

This transitive verb form is rare in modern English; 'fortify' or 'enrich' is preferred.
- fortify
- enrich

Origin

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.