phenylalanine

[ fen-l-al-uh-neen, -nin, feen- ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. a crystalline, water-soluble, essential amino acid, C 6 H 5 CH 2 CH(NH 2 )COOH, necessary to the nutrition of humans and most animals, obtained chiefly from egg white or skim milk. : Phe; : F

phenylalanine

/ ˌfɛnɪl-; ˌfiːnaɪlˈæləˌniːn /

noun

1. an aromatic essential amino acid; a component of proteins

phenylalanine

/ fĕn′əl-ăl′ə-nēn′ /

1. An essential amino acid. Chemical formula: C 9 H 11 NO 2 .
2. See more at amino acid

Word History and Origins

Origin of phenylalanine¹

First recorded in 1880–85; phenyl + alanine