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  

/ -tɪn, ˈkriːətɪn, ˈkriːəˌtiːn /

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

Protein powders maximise muscle repair and contribute to muscle growth, while creatine is a quick source of energy for muscles and important in short-duration, high-intensity activities like sprinting.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 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

On a recent weekday, about two dozen foreign attendees worked on laptops in the Network School’s cafe, which sold health supplements including creatine and collagen peptides.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

They discovered that the gene responsible for producing the creatine transporter, a protein that carries creatine into cells, was much more active in tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells than in dendritic cells found in healthy tissue.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026

In vertebrates, the basis for the phosphoric acid is creatine, whereas invertebrates have arginine instead.

From History of Phosphorus by Eduard Farber