Main Entry: thi·a·mine

Pronunciation: \ˈthī-ə-mən, -ˌmēn\

Variant(s): also thi·a·min \-mən\

Function: noun

: a vitamin C₁₂H₁₇N₄OSCl of the B complex that is an amino hydroxy quaternary ammonium water-soluble salt containing a thiazole ring and a pyrimidine ring, that occurs widely both free (as in the germs of cereals and hulls of grain) and combined (as in yeast and in animal tissues like liver, kidneys, and heart) but is usually synthesized commercially, that functions in the body as a cocarboxylase and is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and for normal functioning of the nervous system, and that is used in nutrition (as in vitamin preparations and in enriching flour and bread) and in medicine—called also vitamin B₁