vitamin

American  

[vahy-tuh-min, vit-uh-min] / ˈvaɪ tə mɪn, ˈvɪt ə mɪn /

British also vitamine

noun

• vitamins
  plural

1. any of a group of organic substances essential in small quantities to normal metabolism, found in minute amounts in natural foodstuffs or sometimes produced synthetically: deficiencies of vitamins produce specific disorders.

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vitamin British  

/ ˈvɪtəmɪn, ˈvaɪ- /

noun

1. any of a group of substances that are essential, in small quantities, for the normal functioning of metabolism in the body. They cannot usually be synthesized in the body but they occur naturally in certain foods: insufficient supply of any particular vitamin results in a deficiency disease

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vitamin Scientific  

/ vī′tə-mĭn /

1. Any of various organic compounds that are needed in small amounts for normal growth and activity of the body. Most vitamins cannot be synthesized by the body, but are found naturally in foods obtained from plants and animals. Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. Most water-soluble vitamins, such as the vitamin B complex, act as catalysts and coenzymes in metabolic processes and energy transfer and are excreted fairly rapidly. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, and E are necessary for the function or structural integrity of specific body tissues and membranes and are retained in the body.

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Closer Look

Although it has been known for thousands of years that certain diseases can be treated with specific foods, the scientific link between vitamins and good health wasn't made until the early 1900s by Polish-born American biochemist Casimir Funk. While studying beriberi, a disease that causes depression, fatigue, and nerve damage, Funk discovered an organic compound in rice husks that prevents the illness. He named the compound vitamine, derived from the chemical name amine and the Latin word vita, "life," because vitamins are required for life and were originally thought to be amines. Funk's compound is now known as vitamin B₁, or thiamine. His research and discovery led him, along with English biochemist Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins, to propose the vitamin hypothesis of deficiency, which stated that certain diseases, such as scurvy or rickets, are caused by dietary deficiencies and can be avoided by taking vitamins. Further research allowed scientists to isolate and identify the vitamins that we know today to be essential for human health. Vitamins include A, C, D, E, K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B₆, B₁₂, folic acid, biotin, and pantothenic acid. Vitamins are distinguished from minerals, such as calcium, iron, and magnesium, which are also essential for optimum health.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• vitaminic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vitamins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vitamin

1912; earlier vitamine < Latin vīt ( a ) life + amine; coined by C. Funk, who thought they were amines

Explanation

A vitamin is an organic substance your body needs to keep working properly. Vitamins are important to health. Your body needs food and water to stay alive, but it also needs vitamins to work properly. You get some Vitamin D from the sun, and lots of Vitamin C from citrus fruits such as oranges. Without vitamins, your immune system can weaken. Many people take vitamins in pill form to help them stay healthy. The word vitamin — originally vitamine — was coined by scientist Casimir Funk in the early 1900s. He combined vita, Latin for "life," with amine, from amino acids.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vitamin vitamins

Launched in the clubbing capital of Ibiza, it's targeted toward clubbers and festival-goers, and one of its ingredients, vitamin B2, is naturally luminescent and glows under UV club lights.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Alexandre says abdominal obesity and vitamin D deficiency may reinforce one another in a harmful cycle.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026

Compared with similar patients who did not get vitamin C, they reported that the vitamin‑treated group lived longer and felt better.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

Late in his career, though, he became famous for something very different: a passionate belief that very high doses of vitamin C could help people with cancer.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

“We can eat almost anything, actually, but we need the squash because we need lots of vitamin A. What’s more, it’s really, really yummy.”

From "Invisible Inkling" by Emily Jenkins

“Essential oils are natural and can be irritating allergens. And ‘chemical-free skincare’ is scientifically impossible; water is a chemical, lipids are chemicals, and vitamins are chemicals.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

He said the vegetarian menu would provide enough protein and vitamins to match the nutritional value of eggs.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

Researchers emphasize that high doses of vitamins, including niacin, can be toxic and may cause harm if they are not carefully monitored by medical professionals.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 22, 2026

Adding synthetic minerals and vitamins does not make them nutritious.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 21, 2026

Talk was like the vitamins of our friendship: Large daily doses kept it healthy.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

• fiber
• food
• mineral