a viscous fat-soluble liquid occurring in plants: essential for the production of prothrombin, required in blood clotting. Formula: C31H46O2
Also: vitamin K1
vitamin K1 in American English
noun
a yellowish, oily, viscous liquid, C31H46O2, occurring in leafy vegetables, rice, bran, hog liver, etc., or obtained esp. from alfalfa or putrefied sardine meat, or synthesized, that promotes blood clotting by increasing the prothrombin content of the blood
Also called: phylloquinone, phytonadione
Word origin
[1930–35]This word is first recorded in the period 1930–35. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: acoustic phonetics, hypercorrection, kickback, logical positivism, preset