phytoene

P3H4Y4T1O1E1N1E1

noun

An acyclic polyunsaturated isoprenoid hydrocarbon that is the precursor of the biosynthesis of carotenoid pigments

OriginEnglish phyto- ← Ancient Greek φῠτόν (phŭtón) ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰuHyéti →
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Meanings

nounphytoene (uncountable)
  1. uncountablechemistryAn acyclic polyunsaturated isoprenoid hydrocarbon that is the precursor of the biosynthesis of carotenoid pigments

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰuH-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰuHyéti
  3. Ancient Greekφῠ́ω (phŭ́ō)
  4. Ancient Greekφῠτός (phŭtós)
  5. Ancient Greekφῠτόν (phŭtón)
  6. Englishphyto-
  7. Englishphytoene

From phyto- + -ene.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

neophytehypnotee
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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