selenocysteine

S1E1L1E1N1O1C3Y4S1T1E1I1N1E1

noun

A naturally-occurring amino acid, present in several enzymes, whose structure is that of cysteine but with the sulfur atom replaced by one of selenium

OriginEnglish cysteine ← Ancient Greek Σελήνη (Selḗnē) ← Proto-Hellenic *selasnā →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounselenocysteine (countable and uncountable, plural selenocysteines)

plural selenocysteines

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryA naturally-occurring amino acid, present in several enzymes, whose structure is that of cysteine but with the sulfur atom replaced by one of selenium

Origin

  1. Proto-Hellenic*selasnā
  2. Ancient Greekσελήνη (selḗnē)
  3. Ancient GreekΣελήνη (Selḗnē)
  4. Englishseleno-
  5. Englishcysteine
  6. Englishselenocysteine

From seleno- + cysteine.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian селеноцистеин
  • селеноцистеин (selenocistein)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

selenocysteine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selenocysteine

MLA

“selenocysteine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selenocysteine. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “selenocysteine,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selenocysteine.

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