Library / English Dictionary

PTOMAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of various amines (such as putrescine or cadaverine) formed by the action of putrefactive bacteria

Synonyms:

ptomain; ptomaine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("ptomain" is a kind of...):

amine; aminoalkane (a compound derived from ammonia by replacing hydrogen atoms by univalent hydrocarbon radicals)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ptomain"):

putrescine (a colorless crystalline ptomaine with a foul odor that is produced in decaying animal matter)

cadaverine (a colorless toxic ptomaine with an unpleasant odor formed during the putrefaction of animal tissue)

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