ptomaine

[ toh-meyn, toh-meyn ]

/ ˈtoʊ meɪn, toʊˈmeɪn /

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noun

any of a class of foul-smelling nitrogenous substances produced by bacteria during putrefaction of animal or plant protein: formerly thought to be toxic.

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Origin of ptomaine

1875–80; <Italian ptomaina<Greek ptôma corpse + Italian -ina-ine²

OTHER WORDS FROM ptomaine

pto·main·ic, adjective

Words nearby ptomaine

Ptolemaic universe, Ptolemaist, Ptolemy, Ptolemy I, Ptolemy II, ptomaine, ptomaine poisoning, ptosed, ptosis, ptotic, ptp.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use ptomaine in a sentence

Frequently ptomaine poisoning occurs in the summer time because of the rapid growth of bacteria.
A Civic Biology|George William Hunter
Left alone, Warble proceeded systematically to examine the interior of Ptomaine Haul.
Ptomaine Street|Carolyn Wells
He kissed her in his eccentric fashion, and with her plump arms about his neck, she forgot all about Ptomaine Street.
Ptomaine Street|Carolyn Wells
Why couldn't the silly thing have had a decent bit of ptomaine poisoning instead of this foolish earache.
Ptomaine Street|Carolyn Wells

Still I think he has made a bad exchange, for Mrs. Ptomaine wont last.
The Celebrity at Home|Violet Hunt

British Dictionary definitions for ptomaine

ptomaine

ptomain

/ (ˈtəʊmeɪn) /

noun

any of a group of amines, such as cadaverine or putrescine, formed by decaying organic matter

Word Origin for ptomaine

C19: from Italian ptomaina, from Greek ptoma corpse, from piptein to fall

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 ptomaine

ptomaine

[ tō′mān′, tō-mān′ ]

A basic nitrogenous organic compound produced by bacterial putrefaction of protein.

Scientific definitions for ptomaine

ptomaine

[ tō′mān′ ]

Any of various toxic nitrogenous organic compounds produced by bacterial decomposition of protein, especially in dead animal tissue. Ptomaines are bases and are formed by removing the carboxyl group (COOH) from amino acids. They do not cause food poisoning, as was previously thought, but the term ptomaine poisoning is still used to describe food poisoning caused by bacteria.