casein

[ key-seen, -see-in, key-seen ]

noun
  1. Biochemistry. a protein precipitated from milk, as by rennet, and forming the basis of cheese and certain plastics.

  2. Fine Arts.

    • an emulsion made from a solution of this precipitated protein, water, and ammonia carbonate.

    • a paint in which this emulsion is used as a binder.

    • a picture produced with this paint and emulsion.

Origin of casein

1
1835–45; <Latin cāse(us) cheese1 + -in2

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use casein in a sentence

  • Like the cigarettes he now fished from a box on the coffee table labeled 'caseins'.

    The Animated Pinup | Lewis Parker

British Dictionary definitions for casein

casein

/ (ˈkeɪsɪɪn, -siːn) /


noun
  1. a phosphoprotein, precipitated from milk by the action of rennin, forming the basis of cheese: used in the manufacture of plastics and adhesives: Also called (US): paracasein

Origin of casein

1
C19: from Latin cāseus cheese + -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

Scientific definitions for casein

casein

[ sēn′, -sē-ĭn ]


  1. A white, tasteless, odorless mixture of related phosphoproteins precipitated from milk by rennin. Casein is very nutritious, as it contains all of the essential amino acids as well as all of the common nonessential ones. It is the basis of cheese and is used to make plastics, adhesives, paints, and foods.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.