niacin (ˈnaɪəsɪn) ![]() | |
| —n | |
| another name for nicotinic acid | |
| [C20: from | |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
"The new name was found to be necessary because some anti-tobacco groups warned against enriched bread because it would foster the cigarette habit." ["Cooperative Consumer," Feb. 28, 1942]
niacin ni·a·cin (nī'ə-sĭn)
n.
A crystalline acid that is a component of the vitamin B complex and is used to treat and prevent pellagra. Also called nicotinic acid.
| niacin (nī'ə-sĭn) Pronunciation Key
A water-soluble organic acid belonging to the vitamin B complex that is important in carbohydrate metabolism. It is a pyridine derivative and is a precursor of the coenzyme NAD. Niacin is found in liver, fish, and whole-grain foods. Deficiency of niacin in the diet causes pellagra. Also called nicotinic acid. Chemical formula: C6H5NO2. |