Dextrine
/ˈdɛkstriːn/noun
A starch-derived carbohydrate used in adhesives, coatings, and food processing.
Did you know?Dextrine was named from the Latin root for “right-hand” because early chemists linked it to dextrorotatory behavior, and that same ancient root also gave English words for skill, fitness, and the “right side.”
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
dexter
“right-hand; skillful; favorable”
Late Latin
Latin
dextrinus
“of or on the right side”
19th Century
French
dextrine
“a starch-derived substance named for its right-rotating optical property”
19th Century
English
dextrine
“a starch-derived carbohydrate, especially one used in adhesives and food products”
Modern English
English
dextrine
“a starch hydrolysis product used in industry and food processing”