trimethylamine

American  

[trahy-me-thuh-luh-meen] / ˌtraɪˌmɛ θə ləˈmin /

noun

1. an organic compound, N(CH3)3, having a fishy odor and produced naturally by the degradation of lecithin, choline, and carnitine. It is also synthesized industrially for agricultural and other uses.

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Example Sentences

When people eat red meat, the liver converts certain byproducts into trimethylamine N-oxide, a compound associated with cardiovascular disease.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

Researchers studied the presence of trimethylamine N-oxide, simply known as TMAO, a substance that is produced by the body after meat consumption.

From Salon • Jan. 4, 2024

So to balance the urea and protect its tissue, sharks also have high concentrations of a compound called trimethylamine oxide, or TMAO.

From The Verge • Aug. 31, 2017

This effect comes from a nerve agent called trimethylamine oxide.

From National Geographic • Jul. 23, 2017

Whether the strong odour of trimethylamine evolved by the spores of Tilletia attracts insects is not known.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various