saponin

noun sa·po·nin \ ˈsa-pə-nən , sə-ˈpō- \

Definition of saponin

:any of various mostly toxic glucosides that occur in plants (such as soapwort or soapbark) and are characterized by the property of producing a soapy lather; especially :a hygroscopic amorphous saponin mixture used especially as a foaming and emulsifying agent and detergent

Recent Examples of saponin from the Web

More recipes: Quinoa comes with a pest-repellent coating called saponin.

— darlene zimmerman, Detroit Free Press, "Tiny quinoa packs big protein punch," 22 July 2017
Doing so removes the outer layer called saponin, which can lend an unpleasantly bitter flavor.

— rick martinez, Bon Appetit, "Harissa-Roasted Broccoli, Tofu, and Quinoa Bowl," 19 Feb. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of saponin

French saponine, from Latin sapon-, sapo

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1831

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

saponin

noun sa·po·nin \ ˈsap-ə-nən , sə-ˈpō- \

medical Definition of saponin

:any of various mostly toxic glucosides that occur in plants (as soapbark) and are characterized by the property of producing a soapy lather; especially :a hygroscopic amorphous saponin mixture used especially as a foaming and emulsifying agent and detergent