biotin

[bahy-uh-tin]

noun Biochemistry.

a crystalline, water-soluble vitamin, C10H16O3N2S, of the vitamin B complex, that is present in all living cells and functions as a growth factor and as a catalyst in carboxylation reactions.

Nearby words

Origin of biotin

1935–40; < German Biotin < Greek biotḗ life + -in -in²

Also called vitamin H.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for biotin

biotin

noun

a vitamin of the B complex, abundant in egg yolk and liver, deficiency of which causes dermatitis and loss of hair. Formula: C 10 H 16 N 2 O 3 SSee also avidin

Word Origin for biotin

C20: biot- from Greek biotē life, way of life + -in

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

Word Origin and History for biotin

biotin

vitamin of the B group (also sometimes called vitamin H) essential for the growth of yeast, 1936, from German Biotin (1936), from Greek biotos "life" (see bio-) + chemical suffix -in (2).

Medicine definitions for biotin

biotin

[bī′ə-tĭn]

n.

A colorless crystalline vitamin of the vitamin B complex, essential for the activity of many enzyme systems and found in large quantities in liver, egg yolk, milk, and yeast.

Science definitions for biotin

biotin

[bī′ə-tĭn]

A water-soluble organic acid belonging to the vitamin B complex that is important in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fatty acids. It is also a cofactor for some coenzymes that catalyze the synthesis of organic acids in the body. Biotin is found in liver, egg yolks, milk, yeast, and some vegetables. Chemical formula: C10H16N2O3S.