Chitin

2 definitions found

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

  Chitin \Chi"tin\, n. [See {Chiton}.] (Chem.)
     A white amorphous horny substance forming the harder part of
     the outer integument of insects, crustacea, and various other
     invertebrates; entomolin.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  chitin
       n : a tough semitransparent horny substance; the principal
           component of the exoskeletons of arthropods and the cell
           walls of certain fungi