[kahy-tin] 
| a nitrogen-containing polysaccharide, related chemically to cellulose, that forms a semitransparent horny substance and is a principal constituent of the exoskeleton, or outer covering, of insects, crustaceans, and arachnids. |
| chi·tin (kīt'n) n. A tough, protective, semitransparent substance, primarily a nitrogen-containing polysaccharide, forming the principal component of arthropod exoskeletons and the cell walls of certain fungi. [French chitine : New Latin chitōn, mollusk (from Greek khitōn, chiton; see chiton) + -ine2.] chi'tin·ous adj. |
chitin chi·tin (kīt'n)
n.
A tough, protective, semitransparent polysaccharide forming the principal component of arthropod exoskeletons and the cell walls of certain fungi.
| chitin (kīt'n) Pronunciation Key
A tough, semitransparent substance that is the main component of the exoskeletons of arthropods, such as the shells of crustaceans and the outer coverings of insects. Chitin is also found in the cell walls of certain fungi and algae. Chemically, it is a nitrogenous polysaccharide (a carbohydrate). |
tɪn
n