gamma-aminobutyric acid

American

[gam-uh uh-mee-noh-byoo-tir-ik, -am-uh-noh-] / ˈgæm ə əˌmi noʊ byuˈtɪr ɪk, -ˌæm ə noʊ- /

noun

GABA.

gamma-aminobutyric acid British

/ ˌɡæməəˌmiːnəuːbjʊˈtɪrɪk /

noun

the full name for GABA

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

gamma-aminobutyric acid Scientific

/ găm′ə-ə-mē′nō-byo̅o̅-tîr′ĭk,-ăm′ə- /

An amino acid occurring in the brain as a neurotransmitter that acts to inhibit the transmission of nerve impulses. Certain antianxiety drugs, called benzodiazepines, mimic the actions of gamma-aminobutyric acid. Chemical formula: C ₄ H ₉ NO ₂ .

Etymology

Origin of gamma-aminobutyric acid

First recorded in 1960–65; amino- + butyric acid

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023