phytochemical

[ fahy-tuh-kem-i-kuhl ]

noun
  1. Also called phytonutrient. any of various bioactive chemical compounds found in plants, as antioxidants, considered to be beneficial to human health.

adjective
  1. of or relating to phytochemistry or phytochemicals.

Origin of phytochemical

1
First recorded in 1845–50; phyto- + chemical

Other words from phytochemical

  • phy·to·chem·i·cal·ly, adverb

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How to use phytochemical in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for phytochemical

phytochemical

/ (ˌfaɪtəʊˈkɛmɪkəl) /


adjective
  1. of or relating to phytochemistry or phytochemicals

noun
  1. a chemical that occurrs naturally in a plant

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 phytochemical

phytochemical

[ fī′tō-kĕmĭ-kəl ]


  1. A plant-derived chemical that is not considered an essential nutrient in the human diet but is believed to have beneficial health effects.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.