tryptamine

noun

trypt·​amine ˈtrip-tə-ˌmēn 

: a crystalline amine C₁₀H₁₂N₂ derived from tryptophan

Examples of tryptamine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Thus, the many ongoing clinical trials testing psilocybin as a treatment for various mental health conditions use synthetic psilocybin that does not contain these other tryptamines. — Hollis Karoly, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026

So, not only was ayahuasca powered by DMT, but was also, as William Burroughs had speculated, a true pharmacological technology, exploiting the synergistic interaction between the constituent harmala and tryptamine alkaloids. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2025

Giant fruiting bodies of the potent fungi, which contain the mind-bending compound of psilocybin and other tryptamines, stand tall at his newest venture, the drug development company Ajna BioSciences. — Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

Some tryptamines are neurotransmitters, naturally occurring chemical messengers in the brain. — Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

trypt(ophan) + amine

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tryptamine

• acridine
• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene

Medical Definition

tryptamine

noun

trypt·​amine ˈtrip-tə-ˌmēn 

: a crystalline amine C₁₀H₁₂N₂ derived from tryptophan

also : any of various substituted derivatives of this amine of which some are significantly hallucinogenic or neurotoxic