amino acid

noun

: an amphoteric organic acid containing the amino group NH2
especially : any of the various amino acids having the amino group in the alpha position that are the chief components of proteins and are synthesized by living cells or are obtained as essential components of the diet

Examples of amino acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The slow, long-simmering of bones extracts minerals, amino acids and other nutrients that the relatively brief cooking of stock cannot. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 May 2026 Meanwhile, casein is a slow-digesting protein but provides a sustained release of amino acids into the blood sugar. Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026 Peptides, which are short chains of amino acids that serve as the building blocks of proteins, have gained popularity among wellness influencers and fitness gurus as a means of building muscle, healing injuries or appearing younger. Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026 Scientists are studying whether the mushroom’s antioxidants, primarily the amino acid ergothioneine and the tripeptide glutathione, may help prevent cancer, coronary heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for amino acid

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of amino acid was in 1897

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Cite this Entry

“Amino acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amino%20acid. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

amino acid

noun
ami·​no acid
ə-ˈmē-nō-
: any of numerous acids that include some which are the building blocks of proteins and are made by living cells from simpler compounds or are obtained in the diet

Medical Definition

amino acid

noun
: an amphoteric organic acid containing the amino group NH2
especially : alpha-amino acid

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