phytochemical

adjective phy·to·chem·i·cal \ ˌfī-tō-ˈke-mi-kəl \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Definition of phytochemical

: of, relating to, or being phytochemistry

—

phytochemically

play \ˌfī-tō-ˈke-mi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Recent Examples of phytochemical from the Web

Blind tasting puts Louisville to the test Other sources of antioxidants include vitamins A, C, and E, the mineral selenium, and the phytochemical lycopene found in tomatoes.

— bryant stamford, The Courier-Journal, "Free radicals, antioxidants and why you should maybe drink more red wine," 5 Apr. 2018
Particularly high in Vitamin C, kohlrabi’s rich phytochemical content makes it a disease fighting powerhouse.

— katie cavuto, ms, rd, Philly.com, "7 foods you should eat more of this summer," 28 June 2017

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

First Known Use of phytochemical

circa 1858

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

phytochemical

noun

Definition of phytochemical

: a chemical compound (such as beta-carotene) occurring naturally in plants

Recent Examples of phytochemical from the Web

Blueberries: Contain phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which give the berries their blue color.

— allison horton, miamiherald, "Want to reduce your odds of getting cancer? Stay active, lose weight and eat healthy | Miami Herald," 25 May 2018
The peels contain a lot of nutrients, from vitamin C to disease-fighting phytochemicals, shows a study by researchers in India.

— amy gorin, NBC News, "9 delicious ways to cut down on food waste," 14 May 2018
Grapefruit: Contains phytochemicals, which can have antioxidants and provide cell protection.

— allison horton, miamiherald, "Want to reduce your odds of getting cancer? Stay active, lose weight and eat healthy | Miami Herald," 25 May 2018
Fruits and veggies are rich in fiber, nutrients, phytochemicals, and antioxidants that have been shown to fight everything from heart disease, cancers, and stroke to diabetes and poor vision.

— joan salge blake, BostonGlobe.com, "Fruit and veggie gadgets that can change your life," 21 May 2018
Blueberries are among the top antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, packed with phytochemicals that protect our cells from damage by free radicals, compounds that are linked to cancer and aging.

— molly kimball, NOLA.com, "Why you should eat blueberries every day (or at least regularly)," 15 May 2018
Vinson’s research has shown that a serving of popcorn contains roughly double the amount of polyphenols as a serving of fruit (although fruit may have different or more numerous amounts of other vitamins and healthy phytochemicals).

— markham heid, Time, "You Asked: What’s the Healthiest Way to Make Popcorn?," 28 Mar. 2018
All of the unsaturated fats, fiber, and phytochemicals (biologically active components of plants) in avocados work a lot of magic.

— caroline walder, Good Housekeeping, "Why You Should Eat Avocado Every Single Day," 26 Feb. 2018
While preliminary studies have shown that the avocado seed does contain various phytochemicals, studies have only looked at their functional properties in rats, in vitro, or topically.

— caroline walder, Good Housekeeping, "Why You Should Eat Avocado Every Single Day," 26 Feb. 2018