creatine

American  

[kree-uh-teen, -tin] / ˈkri əˌtin, -tɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. an amino acid, C 4 H 9 N 3 O 2 , that is a constituent of the muscles of vertebrates and is phosphorylated to store energy used for muscular contraction.

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creatine British  

/ ˈkriːətɪn, ˈkriːəˌtiːn, -tɪn /

noun

1. an important metabolite involved in many biochemical reactions and present in many types of living cells

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creatine Scientific  

/ krē′ə-tēn′,-tĭn /

1. A nitrogenous organic acid that is found in the muscle tissue of vertebrates, mainly combined with phosphorus, and that supplies energy for muscle contraction. Chemical formula: C ₄ H ₉ N ₃ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of creatine

First recorded in 1830–40; creat- (from Greek kreat-, stem of kréas “flesh”) + -ine ² ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does creatine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• creatine vs. creatinine

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

creatine

The findings add to decades of research investigating creatine for purposes beyond athletic performance.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

New findings from Texas A&M University suggest creatine may be particularly useful in middle age, when preserving muscle becomes increasingly important.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

According to the researchers, this is the first study to show that adding creatine to an exercise and diet-induced weight-loss program can reduce body fat percentage more than exercise and diet alone.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

During the 1992 Barcelona Games, investigative reporter Doug Gillon had learned of a 'secret trial' involving British athletes and seen a box of their Ergomax C150 – effervescent creatine tablets.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Creatinine is produced from creatine with great facility; it exists in urine.

From The Chemistry of Food and Nutrition by A. W. Duncan