a glucoside occurring in cycads, toxic and carcinogenic to mammals
cycasin in American English
(ˈsaikəsɪn)
noun
a naturally occurring toxic glucoside, C8H16N2O7, obtained from the seeds of cycad plants, carcinogenic in humans and other mammals
Word origin
[appar. cycas + -in2]-in is a noun suffix used in a special manner in chemical and mineralogical nomenclature(glycerin; acetin, etc.). In spelling, usage wavers between -in and -ine. In chemistry a certain distinction of use is attempted, basic substances havingthe termination -ine rather than -in (aconitine; aniline, etc.), and -in being restricted to certain neutral compounds, glycerides, glucosides, and proteids(albumin; palmitin, etc.), but this distinction is not always observed
Examples of 'cycasin' in a sentence
cycasin
The plant contains cycasin, which is poisonous if eaten.