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sparteine

American

[spahr-tee-een, -in] / ˈspɑr tiˌin, -ɪn /

noun

a bitter, poisonous, liquid alkaloid obtained from certain species of broom, especially Cytisus scoparius, used in medicine to stimulate the heart and also the uterine muscles in childbirth.

sparteine British

/ -ɪn, ˈspɑːtɪˌiːn /

noun

a viscous oily alkaloid extracted from the broom plant and lupin seeds. It has been used in medicine to treat heart arrhythmias

"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

Etymology

Origin of sparteine

1850–55; irregular < New Latin Sparti ( um ) name of a genus of broom (< Greek spárt ( os ) kind of broom + New Latin -ium -ium ) + -ine ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They contain chemically an acid principle, "scoparin," and an alkaloid, "sparteine."

From Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure by Fernie, William Thomas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023