niacin

[ nahy-uh-sin ]

/ ˈnaɪ ə sɪn /

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noun Biochemistry.

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Origin of niacin

First recorded in 1935–40; ni(cotinic) ac(id) + -in²

Words nearby niacin

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

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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

Medical definitions for niacin

niacin

[ nī′ə-sĭn ]

A crystalline acid that is a component of the vitamin B complex and is used to treat and prevent pellagra.nicotinic acid

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.