caffeine or caf·fein [ka-feen , kaf -een, kaf -ee-in] noun Chemistry , Pharmacology a white, crystalline, bitter alkaloid, C8 H10 N4 O2 , usually derived from coffee or tea: used in medicine chiefly as a nervous system stimulant.
Origin of caffeine 1820–30; <
French caféine, equivalent to
café coffee +
-ine -ine2 Related forms caf·fein·ic [ka-fee -nik, kaf-ee-in -ik] /kæˈfi nɪk, ˌkæf iˈɪn ɪk/ adjective non·caf·feine , noun non·caf·fein·ic , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for caffeine cappuccino ,
espresso ,
perk ,
mud ,
brew ,
java ,
decaf ,
decoction ,
mocha ,
demitasse ,
ink ,
joe Examples from the Web for caffeine Contemporary Examples of caffeine The Pentagon security reviewers must have been suffering a dearth of caffeine or sleep.
The story gets out that Obama skipped his usual afternoon dose of caffeine heading toward the U.N. meeting.
This clean source of caffeine is the next noble, and healthy, substitute for your daily cup of coffee.
A “caffeine nap,” or a quick cup of something caffeinated followed by a nap, outperforms both a nap or caffeine independently.
Einöther authored the most comprehensive review of research on caffeine to date.
Historical Examples of caffeine Kola drinks owe their vogue to the caffeine which they contain.
Coffee owes its stimulating and refreshing qualities to caffeine .
The residue left in the retort is a mixture of caffeine and a resinous substance containing chlorophyll.
Caffeine separated by Oudry, and quinin by Pelletier and Caventou.
It's loaded with caffeine —a drug that is both a strong stimulant and a diuretic.
British Dictionary definitions for caffeine noun a white crystalline bitter alkaloid responsible for the stimulant action of tea, coffee, and cocoa: a constituent of many tonics and analgesics. Formula: C 8 H 10 N 4 O 2 See also xanthine (def. 2) Show More
Word Origin for caffeine C19: from German Kaffein, from Kaffee coffee
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 caffeine n. trimethyl-derivative of xanthine, 1830, from German Kaffein , coined by chemist F.F. Runge (1795-1867), apparently from German Kaffee "coffee" (see coffee ) + chemical suffix -ine (2) (German -in ). The form of the English word may be via French caféine .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
n. A bitter white alkaloid often derived from tea or coffee and used chiefly as a mild stimulant and in the treatment of certain kinds of headache.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
A bitter white alkaloid found in tea leaves, coffee beans, and various other plant parts. It is a mild stimulant. Caffeine is a xanthine and similar in structure to theobromine and theophylline. Chemical formula: C8 H10 N4 O2 .
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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