betaine
See also: Betaine and bétaïne
English
![](Images/wiktionary/Trimethylglycine.png.webp)
Trimethylglycine, the first discovered betaine.
Noun
betaine (countable and uncountable, plural betaines)
- (uncountable, organic chemistry) A sweet, crystalline compound (not an alkaloid), trimethylammoniumacetate, found in sugar beet and similar plants, sometimes used to treat muscular degeneracy; the zwitterion (CH3)3N+CH2COO-
- (countable, organic chemistry) Any derivative of this compound.
- (countable, organic chemistry, by extension) Any similar compound, based on sulfur or phosphorus etc, having an onium ion with no hydrogen atom adjacent to the anionic atom.
Derived terms
- arsenobetaine
- polybetaine
- sulfobetaine
Anagrams
- Beatine, antibee