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niacin

[ nahy-uh-sin ]
/ ˈnaɪ ə sɪn /
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noun Biochemistry.

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Origin of niacin

First recorded in1935–40; ni(cotinic) ac(id) + -in2
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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