niacin

[ nahy-uh-sin ]

/ ˈnaɪ ə sɪn /

Save This Word!

noun Biochemistry.

COMPARE MEANINGS

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of niacin

First recorded in1935–40; ni(cotinic) ac(id) + -in²

Words nearby niacin

NHL, NHS, NHTSA, Ni, NIA, niacin, niacinamide, Niagara, Niagara Falls, Niagara green, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for niacin

niacin

/ (ˈnaɪəsɪn) /

noun

another name for nicotinic acid

Word Origin for niacin

C20: from ni (cotinic) ac (id) + -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 niacin

niacin

[ nī′ə-sĭn ]

A water-soluble organic acid belonging to the vitamin B complex that is important in carbohydrate metabolism. It is a pyridine derivative and is a precursor of the coenzyme NAD. Niacin is found in liver, fish, and whole-grain foods. Deficiency of niacin in the diet causes pellagra. Also called nicotinic acid. Chemical formula: C6H5NO2.