ornithine
noun
or·ni·thine ˈȯr-nə-ˌthēn 
: a crystalline amino acid C5H12N2O2 that functions especially in urea production as a carrier by undergoing conversion to citrulline and then arginine in reaction with ammonia and carbon dioxide followed by recovery along with urea by enzymatic hydrolysis of arginine
Word History
Etymology
International Scientific Vocabulary ornithuric acid (a compound of which ornithine is a component, found in the urine of birds) + -ine entry 2
First Known Use
1878, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
ornithine
noun
or·ni·thine ˈȯr-nə-ˌthēn
: a crystalline amino acid C5H12N2O2 that functions especially in urea production as a carrier by undergoing conversion to citrulline and then arginine in reaction with ammonia and carbon dioxide followed by recovery along with urea by enzymatic hydrolysis of arginine