saponin

noun

sa·po·nin ˈsa-pə-nən

sə-ˈpō-

: 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

Examples of saponin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Tribulus Terrestris Compounds found in Tribulus Terrestris, known as steroidal saponins, have been found to weakly mimic the effects of testosterone. —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 Oct. 2023 Unfortunately, this cute little plant contains saponins, which are toxic to pets. —

Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 31 Aug. 2023 The rich moisturizer is infused with ginseng saponin and peptides, which help boost the circulation of your skin's smallest blood vessels to promote collagen synthesis, according to cosmetic chemist Ginger King, which then improves overall elasticity. —

Devon Abelman, Allure, 7 Aug. 2023 Another active ingredient in fenugreek is diosgenin, a type of steroid saponin that is converted into testosterone in the body. —

Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2023 However, cyclamen contains toxic terpenoid saponins, especially in the root of the plant. —

Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 22 Apr. 2023 Rinsing rids quinoa of the bitter saponin, which coats the seed. —

Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 25 Mar. 2018 This removes a natural pesticide found on the exterior of the kernels known as saponins. —

Good Housekeeping, 6 Mar. 2018 One reason quinoa has only recently become popular outside the Andes is that the grains are covered by saponins, a bitter tasting substance. —

Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 13 Feb. 2017 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'saponin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.