urocanic acid

noun

An intermediate in the catabolism of L-histidine, transformed in the liver by urocanate hydratase (or urocanase) into 4-imidazolone-5-propionic acid and subsequently to glutamic acid.

OriginLatin urina →
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Meanings

nounurocanic acid (uncountable)
  1. uncountablechemistryAn intermediate in the catabolism of L-histidine, transformed in the liver by urocanate hydratase (or urocanase) into 4-imidazolone-5-propionic acid and subsequently to glutamic acid.

Origin

  1. Latinurina“urine”
  2. Englishurocanic acid

Latin urina (“urine”) and canis (“dog”), because first isolated in 1874 from dog urine.

More words from Latin

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Cite this entry
APA

urocanic acid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/urocanic%20acid

MLA

“urocanic acid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/urocanic%20acid. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “urocanic acid,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/urocanic%20acid.

Source: urocanic acid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.