Dictionary.com

xanthin

[ zan-thin ]
/ ˈzæn θɪn /

noun

the part of the coloring matter in yellow flowers that is insoluble in water.Compare xanthein.
a yellow coloring matter in madder.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU GUESS THESE WORDS FROM AROUND THE US?

American English is not always as it appears to be ... get to know regional words in this quiz!
Question 1 of 10
A bet is synonymous with a wager, but what does it mean in New York?
Often it means something is impossible.
It’s another way to agree with someone.
It serves as an apology.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of xanthin

1830–40; <French xanthine or <German Xanthin.See xantho-, -in2

Words nearby xanthin

xanthene, xanthene dye, Xanthian, xanthic, xanthic acid, xanthin, xanthine, xanthinuria, Xanthippe, xanthism, xantho-
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for xanthin

  • Xanthin and catechol browns are pleasing in appearance, but their effect is less rich than that obtained with potash.

    The Decoration of Leather|Georges de Rcy

  • In the roots three coloring matters are obtained: alizarin and purpurin, which are both red, and xanthin, which is yellow.

    Rugs: Oriental and Occidental, Antique &amp; Modern|Rosa Belle Holt

  • The xanthin group is almost without any excitatory action, and its metabolic end products are constant.

    All About Coffee|William H. Ukers

British Dictionary definitions for xanthin

xanthin
/ (ˈzænθɪn) /

noun

any of a group of yellow or orange carotene derivatives that occur in the fruit and flowers of certain plants
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