glucosamine

American

[gloo-koh-suh-meen, -min] / gluˈkoʊ səˌmin, -mɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

an aminosugar occurring in many polysaccharides of vertebrate tissue and also as the major component of chitin.

glucosamine British

/ ɡluːˈkəʊzˈəmiːn /

noun

the amino derivative of glucose that occurs in chitin. It has been used in some herbal remedies

"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

glucosamine Scientific

/ glo̅o̅-kō′sə-mēn′,glo̅o̅′kō- /

An amino derivative of glucose in which an amino group replaces a hydroxyl group. It is a component of many polysaccharides and is the basic structural unit of chitin. Glucosamine is used as an over-the-counter dietary supplement by some people with symptoms of arthritis. Chemical formula: C ₆ H ₁₃ NO ₅ .

Etymology

Origin of glucosamine

First recorded in 1880–85; glucose + -amine

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

To investigate further, researchers focused on glucosamine because it is a naturally occurring sugar-related molecule that can cross the blood-brain barrier.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

Among those patients, researchers found that glucosamine use was relatively common.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

In addition, I take glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and pectin to keep my foot and knee pain at bay.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 3, 2023

After reading the column, I tried glucosamine and chondroitin.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2022

When hydrolysed these fungoid celluloses yield, in addition to monoses, glucosamine and acetic acid.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023