tryptamine

noun

trypt·​amine ˈtrip-tə-ˌmēn How to pronounce tryptamine (audio)
: a crystalline amine C10H12N2 derived from tryptophan

Examples of tryptamine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The active chemical in ayahuasca is DMT, which is a hallucinogenic tryptamine drug that occurs naturally in various plants. Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2023 Crystallized tryptamine synthesized by Wallach in his lab at Saint Joseph University. Wired, 28 July 2022 Psilocybin is a tryptamine that binds to serotonin receptor 5-HT2A in the brain. Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 24 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tryptamine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

trypt(ophan) + amine

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tryptamine was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near tryptamine

Cite this Entry

“Tryptamine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tryptamine. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

tryptamine

noun
trypt·​amine ˈtrip-tə-ˌmēn How to pronounce tryptamine (audio)
: a crystalline amine C10H12N2 derived from tryptophan
also : any of various substituted derivatives of this amine of which some are significantly hallucinogenic or neurotoxic
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