ilicin

I1L1I1C3I1N1

noun

A bitter alkaloid found in holly.

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Meanings

nounilicin (uncountable)
  1. uncountablechemistryA bitter alkaloid found in holly.

    All Ilex hollies contain the bitter compound ilicin.

    1995, John Eastman, The Book of Swamp and Bog
    2 more examples

    They have a bitter, somewhat austere taste; their properties depend upon a principle called ilicin.

    1852, John King, The Eclectic Dispensatory of the United States of America, page 220

    Ilicin is contained in holly berries (Ilex sp) and causes severe gastroirritation including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

    1996, Peter D Bryson, Comprehensive Reviews in Toxicology: For Emergency Clinicians

Origin

Ilex + -in

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

icilin
Cite this entry
APA

ilicin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ilicin

MLA

“ilicin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ilicin. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ilicin,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ilicin.

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