cotinine

noun

co·tin·ine | \ ˈkō-tə-ˌnēn

, -ˌnīn

Definition of cotinine

: an alkaloid C₁₀H₁₂N₂O that is the principal metabolite of nicotine

Examples of cotinine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Young people's blood was tested for levels of serum cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine; 0.05 to 10 nanograms per milliliter identified exposure to secondhand smoke. — Allen Kim, CNN, "Over a third of American kids who don't smoke are exposed to it anyways, study finds. Most are below the poverty line.," 15 Aug. 2019 For verification, participants took a saliva test that detects cotinine, an indicator of nicotine exposure. — Catherine Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, "Can Facebook help you quit smoking? Study indicates yes," 24 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cotinine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.