Vitamin
/ˈvaɪ.tə.mɪn/noun
A group of organic compounds essential for normal growth and nutrition that cannot be synthesized by the body.
Did you know?The term 'vitamin' was coined in the early 20th century, linking life itself to essential nutrients, hinting at a magical connection between food and vitality.
Etymological Timeline
1880s
Latin
vita
“life”
1912
English
vitamine
“a vital amine essential for life”
1920s
English
vitamin
“refined term for essential nutrients beyond amines”
1930s
English
vitamin
“widely adopted as the term for all essential nutrients”