tryptophan

[ trip-tuh-fan ]

/ ˈtrɪp təˌfæn /

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noun Biochemistry.

an essential amino acid, (C8H6N)CH2CH(NH2)COOH, colorless, crystalline, and aromatic, released from proteins by tryptic digestion and a precursor of serotonin. Abbreviation: Trp; Symbol: W

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Also tryp·to·phane

[trip-tuh-feyn]. /ˈtrɪp təˌfeɪn/.

Origin of tryptophan

1900–05; trypto- (irregular combining form representing Greek trīptós “rubbed”) + -phan(e)

Words nearby tryptophan

trypophobia, trypsin, trypsinogen, tryptamine, tryptic, tryptophan, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase, tryptophanase, tryptophanuria, trysail, trysail mast

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

How to use tryptophan in a sentence

Cells in the brain convert tryptophan first into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel happy, and then into melatonin, which makes you sleepy.
The extreme consequences of stuffing yourselves during the holidays|Christina Agapakis|November 19, 2021|Popular-Science
Turkey does have a lot of tryptophan, but so does chicken, fish, cheese, and eggs—tryptophan levels aren’t enough to explain how sleepy you feel after overeating at Thanksgiving.
The extreme consequences of stuffing yourselves during the holidays|Christina Agapakis|November 19, 2021|Popular-Science
That’s because it helps decrease levels of tryptophan in the brain.
The Athlete's Guide to Menopause|Lindsay Warner|December 8, 2020|Outside Online
ART scanned through nearly 8,000 combinations of biochemical pathways to produce tryptophan, and recommended based on probabilities a way to double the chemical’s production.
How Machine Learning Made Hops-Free Hoppy Beer (and Other SynBio Wonders) Possible|Shelly Fan|October 6, 2020|Singularity Hub

Another set of training data, programming cells to make the protein component tryptophan, allowed ART to tease out the interaction between five different genes.
How Machine Learning Made Hops-Free Hoppy Beer (and Other SynBio Wonders) Possible|Shelly Fan|October 6, 2020|Singularity Hub
Spaghetti squash also contains specific nutrients that help convert the tryptophan in other foods you eat into serotonin.
6 Healthy Foods to Fight the Flu, Beat Stress and More|DailyBurn|February 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To be sure, tryptophan as a white pill, not a slab of white meat, is used by some as a sleeping aid.
Eat Turkey All You Want! It’s Not Going to Put You to Sleep|Kent Sepkowitz|November 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
So tryptophan at pretty big doses is a routine part of being a human on planet Earth.
Eat Turkey All You Want! It’s Not Going to Put You to Sleep|Kent Sepkowitz|November 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Probably not—the tryptophan story provides us with the perfect cover for the real reason we so love the holiday.
Eat Turkey All You Want! It’s Not Going to Put You to Sleep|Kent Sepkowitz|November 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The premise is this: turkey is chock-full of a soporific essential amino acid, tryptophan, one of the 22 essential amino acids.
Eat Turkey All You Want! It’s Not Going to Put You to Sleep|Kent Sepkowitz|November 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Trypsin: solution of small shreds of fresh fibrin in neutral and alkaline media, and tryptophan test.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2|Various
A test for the production of tryptophan was reported positive.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tryptophan

tryptophan

/ (ˈtrɪptəˌfæn) /

noun

an essential amino acid; a component of proteins necessary for growth

Word Origin for tryptophan

C20: from trypt (ic) + -o + -phan variant of -phane

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 tryptophan

tryptophan

[ trĭp′tə-făn′ ]

An essential amino acid formed from proteins during the digestive process by the action of proteolytic enzymes.

Scientific definitions for tryptophan

tryptophan

[ trĭp′tə-făn′ ]

An essential amino acid. Chemical formula: C11H12N2O2. See more at amino acid.