carotenoid

or ca·rot·i·noid

[ kuh-rot-n-oid ]

noun

1. any of a group of red and yellow pigments, chemically similar to carotene, contained in animal fat and some plants.

adjective

1. similar to carotene.
2. pertaining to carotenoids.

carotenoid

/ kəˈrɒtɪˌnɔɪd /

noun

1. any of a group of red or yellow pigments, including carotenes, found in plants and certain animal tissues

adjective

1. of or resembling carotene or a carotenoid

carotenoid

/ kə-rŏt′n-oid′ /

1. Any of a class of yellow to red pigments found especially in plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. Carotenoids generally consist of conjoined units of the hydrocarbon isoprene, with alternating single and double bonds. The carotenoids absorb light energy of certain frequencies and transfer it to chlorophyll for use in photosynthesis. They also act as antioxidants for chlorophyll, protecting it from damage by oxidation in the presence of sunlight. Carotenoids are nutritionally important for many animals, giving flamingoes their color, for example, and also have antioxidant properties. There are many types of carotenoids, including carotenes and xanthophylls.
2. See more at photosynthesis

Word History and Origins

Origin of carotenoid¹

First recorded in 1910–15; carotene + -oid

Example Sentences

The concentration of carotenoids in the serum drops dramatically, and the flamingos apply it far less frequently.

From Science News

After exposure, she found that feathers with a greater concentration of carotenoids had kept more color.

From Science News

Before the exposure experiment, Chiale had extracted carotenoids from both the surface and interior of each feather.

From Science News

Sunbirds have feather colors that come from a mix of sources, including pigments like fiery carotenoids and dark melanin as well as iridescent structural color.

From Science News