Betaine

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Betaine \Be"ta*ine\, n. [From beta, generic name of the beet.]
     (Chem.)
     A nitrogenous base, {C5H11NO2}, produced artificially, and
     also occurring naturally in beet-root molasses and its
     residues, from which it is extracted as a white crystalline
     substance; -- called also {lycine} and {oxyneurine}. It has a


     sweetish taste.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  betaine
       n : a sweet tasting alkaloid that occurs in sugar beets