denatonium

D2E1N1A1T1O1N1I1U1M3

noun

A quaternary ammonium cation N-benzyl-2-(2,6-dimethylanilino)-N,N-diethyl-2-oxoethan-1-aminium benzoate; the most bitter chemical compound known, whose salts are used as aversive agents to prevent accidental ingestion of dangerous substances.

OriginEnglish onium ← New Latin ammōnium ← French dénaturer →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

noundenatonium (uncountable)
  1. uncountablemedicineA quaternary ammonium cation N-benzyl-2-(2,6-dimethylanilino)-N,N-diethyl-2-oxoethan-1-aminium benzoate; the most bitter chemical compound known, whose salts are used as aversive agents to prevent accidental ingestion of dangerous substances.

Origin

  1. Old Frenchdesnaturer
  2. Frenchdénaturer
  3. Englishdenature
  4. New Latinammōnium
  5. Englishammonium
  6. Englishonium
  7. Englishdenatonium

From denat(ure) + -onium (“a quaternary ammonium compound”).

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

mountainedeudominantemundation
Cite this entry
APA

denatonium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/denatonium

MLA

“denatonium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/denatonium. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “denatonium,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/denatonium.

Source: denatonium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.