provitamin

American  

[proh-vahy-tuh-min, proh-vit-uh-min] / proʊˈvaɪ tə mɪn, proʊˈvɪt ə mɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a substance that an organism can transform into a vitamin, as carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the liver.

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provitamin British  

/ prəʊˈvɪtəmɪn /

noun

1. a substance, such as carotene, that is converted into a vitamin in animal tissues

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Etymology

Origin of provitamin

First recorded in 1925–30; pro- ¹ + vitamin

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

provitamin

Anthocyanin accumulation in plants is associated with greater resistance to herbivory, fungal diseases, bacterial infections, heavy metal toxicity, and other environmental stresses, while carotenoids are a source of provitamin A in the human diet.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 17, 2024

Vitamin A comes in two main forms, preformed vitamin A and provitamin A.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2023

It contains so much provitamin A, a substance that transforms into vitamin A in the body, that its flesh has a distinctive orange tint.

From National Geographic ● Jun. 22, 2023

The researchers suspected that knocking out, or incapacitating, either of these genes would cause the plant to accumulate provitamin D3, which when exposed to sunlight transforms into a second precursor—previtamin D3—that people can use.

From Science Magazine ● May 22, 2022

Instead, Dale decided to look for a gene carrying high levels of provitamin A, or beta-carotene, which the liver converts into the vitamin on a need-only basis.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 1, 2014