Meanings
nounpterin (countable and uncountable, plural pterins)
plural pterins
- countableuncountablechemistryA ketonic amide derivative of pteridine responsible for some of the colouring in nature. It is also a component of folic acid.
Origin
From Greek: πτερόν (pteron) = wing (because it was first found in butterfly wings).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Cantonese 蝶呤
- 蝶呤 (dip⁶ ling⁴)derivative of pteridine
Chinese Mandarin 蝶呤
- 蝶呤 (diélìng)derivative of pteridine
Japanese プテリン
- プテリン (puterin)derivative of pteridine
Korean 프테린
- 프테린 (peuterin)derivative of pteridine
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
pterin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pterin
MLA
“pterin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pterin. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pterin,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pterin.
Source: pterin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.