xanthine

From French xanthine, ultimately from Ancient Greek ξανθός (xanthós, “yellow”), because xanthine is yellowish-white.

• Homophones: xanthein, xanthene

xanthine (plural xanthines)

1. (chemistry) Any of a group of alkaloids that include caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine as well as the parent compound, a precursor of uric acid found in many organs of the body.

• There is much confusion between this word and xanthein, and they are often interchanged.

• methylxanthine
• nonxanthine
• xanthine oxidase

• xanthein

Ancient Greek ξανθός (xanthós, “yellow”), becayse xanthine is yellowish-white.

xanthine f (plural xanthines)

1. xanthine

• “xanthine” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

• Xanthien