Taurine
/ˈtɔː.raɪn/noun
A sulfur-containing amino acid found in animal tissues and used in some energy drinks and supplements.
Did you know?Taurine was first isolated from ox bile in 1827, and its name ultimately traces back to the same root behind Taurus, the bull sign of the zodiac.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tauro-
“bull”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ταῦρος (taûros)
“bull”
Latin
Latin
taurus
“bull”
1827
German
Taurin
“chemical name for the substance isolated from ox bile”
Modern English
English
taurine
“a sulfur-containing amino acid”