xanthine

X8A1N1T1H4I1N1E1
UK/ˈzanθiːn/UK/ˈzanθaɪn/US/ˈzænθin/

noun

Any of a group of alkaloids that include caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine as well as the parent compound, a precursor of uric acid found in many organs of the body.

OriginFrench xanthine ← Ancient Greek ξανθός →
UncommonScrabble 18
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Meanings

nounxanthine (countable and uncountable, plural xanthines)

plural xanthines · alternative dated uncommon xanthin

  1. countableuncountablechemistryAny of a group of alkaloids that include caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine as well as the parent compound, a precursor of uric acid found in many organs of the body.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
xanthein

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekξανθός“yellow”
  2. Frenchxanthine
  3. Englishxanthine

From international scientific vocabulary, from French xanthine, reflecting New Latin combining forms: xanth- + -ine; ultimately from Ancient Greek ξανθός (xanthós, “yellow”), because xanthine is yellowish-white. By surface analysis, xanth- + -ine.

More words from French, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan xantina
  • xantinagroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Chinese 黃嘌呤 /黄嘌呤
  • 黃嘌呤 /黄嘌呤 (huángpiàolìng)group of alkaloids, including caffeine
Czech xantin
  • xantingroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Dutch xanthine
  • xanthinegroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Esperanto ksantino
  • ksantinogroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Estonian ksantiin
  • ksantiingroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Finnish ksantiini, dioksipuriini
  • ksantiinigroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
  • dioksipuriinigroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
French xanthine
  • xanthinegroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
German Xanthin
  • Xanthingroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Irish xaintin, xaintín
  • xaintingroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
  • xaintíngroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Italian xantina
  • xantinagroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Japanese キサンチン
  • キサンチン (kisanchin)group of alkaloids, including caffeine
Portuguese xantina
  • xantinagroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Russian ксанти́н
  • ксанти́н (ksantín)group of alkaloids, including caffeine
Spanish xantina
  • xantinagroup of alkaloids, including caffeine
Turkish ksantin
  • ksantingroup of alkaloids, including caffeine

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

xantheinxanthene

Anagrams

xanthein
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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