theine

[ thee-een, -in ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

theine

/ ˈθiːiːn; -ɪn /

Origin of theine¹

First recorded in 1830–40; from New Latin the(a) “tea” ( tea ) + -ine ²

Origin of theine¹

C19: from New Latin thea tea + -ine ²

It is remarkable also that tea has been found to contain an element called theine, which has the same quantity of nitrogen.

Chemical investigation indicates that caffeine and theine are the same and theobromine is a closely related substance.

Theine is no doubt a deadly poison, but we manage to drink it with tolerable safety in our tea and coffee.

The quantity of theine consumed in a cup of tea is about 4/5 of a grain, or ¼ of a medicinal dose.

The caffein or theine in tea is an alkaloid that has characteristic physiological properties.

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