Definition of xanthine
: a feebly basic compound C5H4N4O2 that occurs especially in animal or plant tissue, is derived from guanine and hypoxanthine, and yields uric acid on oxidation
also
: any of various derivatives of xanthine (such as methylxanthine)
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for xanthine
The first known use of xanthine was in 1857
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