a colourless crystalline amine produced by decaying animal matter; 1,4-diaminobutane. Formula: H2N(CH2)4NH2
Word origin
C20: from Latin putrescere + -ine2
putrescine in American English
(pjuˈtrɛsin; pjuˈtrɛsɪn)
noun
a foul-smelling compound, NH2(CH2)4NH2, produced by bacterial fermentation of protein and in the normal metabolism of mammals: it is a precursor of spermine