choline

American  

[koh-leen, kol-een] / ˈkoʊ lin, ˈkɒl in /

noun

1. Biochemistry. a quaternary ammonium cation, C 5 H 14 N + O, one of the B-complex vitamins, found in the lecithin of many plants and animals.

2. choline hydroxide, C 5 H 15 NO 2 , the viscous, strongly alkaline commercial form of this compound, usually synthesized, used as a feed supplement, especially for poultry, and in medicine in certain liver conditions.

3. choline chloride, C 5 H 14 ClNO.

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choline British  

/ ˈkəʊliːn, -ɪn, ˈkɒl- /

noun

1. a colourless viscous soluble alkaline substance present in animal tissues, esp as a constituent of lecithin: used as a supplement to the diet of poultry and in medicine for preventing the accumulation of fat in the liver. Formula:[(CH 3 ) 3 NCH 2 CH 2 OH] ⁺ OH ^–

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choline Scientific  

/ kō′lēn′ /

1. A natural amine often classed in the vitamin B complex. It is incorporated into the structure of many other biologically important molecules, such as acetylcholine and lecithin. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₁₅ NO ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of choline

First recorded in 1855–60; chol- + -ine ²

Example Sentences

It points to a measurable chemical difference inside the brain, but it does not prove that low dietary choline causes anxiety or that increasing choline will relieve symptoms.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

Even though the researchers expected to see reduced choline, the consistency of the result stood out.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

Controlled trials would be needed to test whether changing choline intake can alter brain chemistry or improve anxiety outcomes.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

That does not mean choline supplements are a proven treatment for anxiety.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

As recently as 1908, it was asserted that chlorophyll is a lecithin-like body, yielding choline and glycero-phosphoric acid on hydrolysis.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Thatcher, Roscoe Wilfred