chitin
UK /ˈkʌɪtɪn/ · US /ˈkaɪtɪn/ noun
Forms chitins
- noun (biochemistry) A complex polysaccharide, a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine, found in the exoskeletons of arthropods and in the cell walls of fungi; thought to be responsible for some forms of asthma in humans.
Synonyms
Etymology
From French chitine, from Latin chitōn (“mollusk”), from Ancient Greek χιτών (khitṓn). See also chiton.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A white amorphous horny substance forming the harder part of the outer integument of insects, crustacea, and various other invertebrates; entomolin.
Etymology [See Chiton.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “chitin”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details