glycine
|gly-cine|
/ˈɡlaɪsiːn/
smallest, sweet-rooted amino acid
Etymology
'glycine' originates from French (and New Latin usage), specifically the word 'glycine', where the Greek root 'glyk-' (from 'glykys') meant 'sweet'.
'glycine' traces back to Greek 'glykys' (meaning 'sweet'), passed into scientific coinage in French/Latin in the early 19th century (coined by chemists such as Braconnot) and eventually became the modern English term 'glycine'.
Initially associated with the notion of 'sweet' (referring to taste), the term evolved into the chemical name for the amino acid now known as 'glycine'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a nonessential, simple amino acid (the smallest) with the formula NH2CH2COOH, used in the biosynthesis of proteins and often found in structural regions that require flexibility.
Glycine is the smallest amino acid and often contributes to the flexibility of protein structures.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the chemical compound also known as aminoacetic acid, commonly referred to in biochemical contexts by its systematic name or abbreviation.
The laboratory prepared a solution of glycine for the experiment.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/16 01:43