arginine

American  

[ahr-juh-neen, -nahyn, -nin] / ˈɑr dʒəˌnin, -ˌnaɪn, -nɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. an essential amino acid, C 6 H 14 N 4 O 2 : the free amino acid increases insulin secretion and is converted to urea in the liver by arginase. Arg; R

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arginine British  

/ ˈɑːdʒɪˌnaɪn /

noun

1. an essential amino acid of plant and animal proteins, necessary for nutrition and for the production of excretory urea

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arginine Scientific  

/ är′jə-nēn′ /

1. An amino acid that is essential for children but not for adults. Chemical formula: C ₆ H ₁₄ N ₄ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of arginine

First recorded in 1885–90, arginine is from the German word Arginin, a name unexplained by its originators

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

arginine

It’s naturally produced in our liver, kidneys and pancreas and comes from the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine — the “building blocks of protein.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

When arginine is scarce, cells struggle to produce MHC-1, a protein that helps alert the immune system to threats such as mutated cells and invading viruses.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

When cells were deprived of arginine, ribosomes, the cellular machines that assemble proteins, stalled while trying to produce MHC-1.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

"Considering that arginine is inexpensive and readily available, we hope that therapeutic and preventative studies could be undertaken soon."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

In vertebrates, the basis for the phosphoric acid is creatine, whereas invertebrates have arginine instead.

From History of Phosphorus by Eduard Farber

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