ornithine

or·ni·thine  (ôrn-thn)

n.

An amino acid, C₅H₁₂N₂O₂, not found in proteins, formed by hydrolyzing arginine and important in the formation of urea.

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[ornith(uric acid), an acid found in birds' urine (ornith(o)- + uric acid) + -ine.]

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ornithine [ˈɔːnɪˌθiːn]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biochemistry) an amino acid produced from arginine by hydrolysis: involved in the formation of urea in the liver; diaminopentanoic acid. Formula: NH₂(CH₂)₃CHNH₂COOH

[from ornithuric (acid) secreted in the urine of birds, from ornitho- + uric]

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ornithine  (ôrn-thn)

An amino acid not found in proteins, formed by hydrolyzing arginine and important in the formation of urea. Chemical formula: C₅H₁₂N₂O₂.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

ornithine - an amino acid that does not occur in proteins but is important in the formation of urea amino acid, aminoalkanoic acid - organic compounds containing an amino group and a carboxylic acid group; "proteins are composed of various proportions of about 20 common amino acids"