saponin

[ sap-uh-nin ]

/ ˈsæp ə nɪn /

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noun Biochemistry.

any of a group of amorphous glycosides of terpenes and steroids, occurring in many plants, characterized by an ability to form emulsions and to foam in aqueous solutions, and used as detergents.

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Origin of saponin

1825–35; <French saponine<Latin sāpōn- (stem of sāpō) soap + French -ine-in²

Words nearby saponin

sapodilla family, saponaceous, saponaria, saponification number, saponify, saponin, saponite, sapor, sap orchard, saporific, saporous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use saponin in a sentence

He also found saponin in the seeds, but it exists in much greater quantity in the trunk.
The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines|T. H. Pardo de Tavera
It contains a saponin and an acrid resin, and is said to possess expectorant, diaphoretic and—in large doses—emetic properties.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 1 of 2|Various
It is true that Boehm whom Hartung cites, found saponin to be irritating, but Boehm states that it required 100 mg.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2|Various
Digitonin and digito-saponin are glucosides of this type which are found in the extracts from various species of Digitalis.
The Chemistry of Plant Life|Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher

Saponin is found in both of these plants, as well as in many other plants of the leguminosæ.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 623, December 10, 1887|Various

British Dictionary definitions for saponin

saponin

/ (ˈsæpənɪn) /

noun

any of a group of plant glycosides with a steroid structure that foam when shaken and are used in detergents

Word Origin for saponin

C19: from French saponine, from Latin sāpō soap

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 saponin

saponin

[ săp′ə-nĭn, sə-pō′- ]

Any of various plant glucosides that form soapy lathers when mixed and agitated with water. They are used in detergents, foaming agents, and emulsifiers. Some saponins, such as digitalis, affect the heart and have been used as medicines and arrow poisons by indigenous peoples of Africa and South America.