tryptophan
noun
tryp·to·phan
| \ ˈtrip-tə-ˌfan
\
\
variants:
or less commonly tryptophane \ ˈtrip-tə-ˌfān
\
\
Definition of tryptophan
: a crystalline essential amino acid C11H12N2O2 that is widely distributed in proteins
Examples of tryptophan in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examining the skin more closely, the team found a set of molecules that were derived from tryptophan, an amino acid important for sleep and mood in humans. — Joanna Klein, New York Times, "How Sharks Glow to Each Other Deep in the Ocean," 8 Aug. 2019 Specifically, they are brominated (or bromine-containing) tryptophan-kynurenine metabolic products. — Brian Clark Howard, National Geographic, "These sharks glow underwater—thanks to tiny ‘lightsabers’," 8 Aug. 2019 In animals, most of the tryptophan goes toward creating proteins. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "This shark glows using a process previously unknown to science," 8 Aug. 2019 The addition of a few tablespoons of chia seeds provides not only fiber and plant protein but tryptophan, a precursor to melatonin. — Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health.com, "7 Healthy Late-Night Snacks," 3 July 2019 In addition to high-quality, easy-to-digest protein, eggs supply tryptophan. — Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health.com, "7 Healthy Late-Night Snacks," 3 July 2019 For example, if the ancestral proteins involved in metabolism lack tryptophan, some form of metabolism probably evolved early. — Quanta Magazine, "How Structure Arose in the Primordial Soup," 16 Apr. 2015 For those of us who inevitably (and understandably) will get caught up in celebrating our love of rich chocolate and tryptophan-producing poultry, dad's special day may fall by the wayside. — Elizabeth Buxton, refinery29.com, "Last-Minute Amazon Finds You Can Gift In Time For Father's Day," 10 June 2019 And neither of those is nearly as effective a delivery system for crisp skin, gravy and tryptophan. — Elizabeth G. Dunn And Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, "The Battle for Thanksgiving Heats Up," 31 Oct. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tryptophan.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for tryptophan
tryptophan
noun
tryp·to·phan
| \ ˈtrip-tə-ˌfan
\
\
variants:
also tryptophane \ -ˌfān
\
\
Medical Definition of tryptophan
: a crystalline essential amino acid C11H12N2O2 that is widely distributed in proteins
—abbreviation Trp