theobromine

American

[thee-uh-broh-meen, -min] / ˌθi əˈbroʊ min, -mɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, poisonous powder, C 7 H 8 N 4 O 2 , an isomer of theophylline and lower homologue of caffeine, occurring in tea and obtained from the cacao bean: used chiefly as a diuretic, myocardial stimulant, and vasodilator.

theobromine British

/ ˌθiːəʊˈbrəʊmiːn, -mɪn /

noun

a white crystalline slightly water-soluble alkaloid that occurs in many plants, such as tea and cacao: formerly used to treat asthma. Formula: C 7 H 8 N 4 O 2 See also xanthine

"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

theobromine Scientific

/ thē′ō-brō′mēn′ /

A bitter, colorless alkaloid that occurs in the cacao bean, cola nuts, and tea. It is found in chocolate products and used in medicine as a diuretic, vasodilator, and myocardial stimulant. Theobromine is a xanthine and similar in structure to caffeine and theophylline. Chemical formula: C ₇ H ₈ N ₄ O ₂ .

Etymology

Origin of theobromine

1835–45; < New Latin Theobrom ( a ) genus of trees typified by cacao (< Greek theo- theo- + brôma food) + -ine ²

Compare meaning

How does theobromine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

theobromine vs. caffeine

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.

See Examples For:

theobromine

Chocolate also contains sugar, fat and other ingredients, and more work is needed to fully understand how theobromine interacts with the body and how it may influence aging.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 12, 2025

The lack of theobromine also means that unlike chocolate, carob is not toxic to dogs and cats.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2024

One of these is the compound theobromine, which is also found in tea and contributes towards its bitter taste.

From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2024

Cocoa bean mulch, which contains caffeine and theobromine, can cause vomiting and diarrhea, among other issues.

From Washington Post ● May 4, 2022

The shells of the beans separated by the winnowing process contain theobromine, and their infusion with water is sometimes used as a substitute for coffee, under the name “miserabile.”

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

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