Meanings
nounacetylglucosamine (plural acetylglucosamines)
plural acetylglucosamines
- biochemistryAn amide derivative of glucose that forms part of the peptidoglycan of bacterial cell walls.
But this one is the beak of a 120-pound (50-kilogram) giant Humboldt squid and is therefore made of chitin, a much simpler chemical. Chitin is a polymer whose repeating unit, n-acetylglucosamine, is a derivative of glucose (sugar).
2014, Theodore Gray, photography by Nick Mann, Molecules: The Elements and the Architecture of Everything, 2018 Paperback Edition, page 120
Origin
Compound of acetyl + glucosamine.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish asetyyliglukosamiini
- asetyyliglukosamiiniamide derivative of glucose
Italian acetilglucosammina
- acetilglucosamminaamide derivative of glucose
Polish acetyloglikozamina
- acetyloglikozaminaamide derivative of glucose
Spanish acetilglucosamina
- acetilglucosaminaamide derivative of glucose
Cite this entry
APA
acetylglucosamine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acetylglucosamine
MLA
“acetylglucosamine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acetylglucosamine. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “acetylglucosamine,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acetylglucosamine.
Source: acetylglucosamine on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.