vitamin

Definitions

Coined in 1912 from vita (life) + amine (a type of nitrogen compound), because these substances were thought to be 'vital amines' — chemicals essential to life. The 'e' of the original 'vitamine' was later dropped when it turned out not all of them are amines.

Why It Means This

A neat window into the root: vitamin literally packages vita 'life' into a single everyday word. The coiner, Casimir Funk, called them 'vital amines.' When later research found some aren't amines at all, the spelling was trimmed to vitamin — but the 'life' in vit- stayed.

Common Collocations

• 1.vitamin C维生素C
• 2.vitamin D维生素D
• 3.vitamin supplement维生素补充剂

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Oranges are a great source of vitamin C.

• 2.

  The doctor told her to take a daily vitamin supplement.