essential amino acid
- any amino acid that is required by an animal for growth but that cannot be synthesized by the animal's cells and must be supplied in the diet.
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Origin of essential amino acid
First recorded in 1935–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
essential amino acid
- An alpha-amino acid that is required for protein synthesis but cannot be synthesized by humans and must be obtained in the diet.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.