Definition

A harmful amino acid that is similar to methionine but has an ethyl group instead of a methyl group, and can cause cancer.

Example

Ethionine is often studied for its toxic effects on living organisms.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of ethionine?

I think I came across it in a biology article once.

Yeah, it's pretty interesting how it's related to methionine.

Right! But I remember it being mentioned as something we should avoid.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ethionine is formed from "eth-" (derived from the Greek "aithēr", meaning ether or upper air) and "-ionine" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote a compound related to amino acids). The word refers to a specific amino acid that contains an ethyl group in its structure, linking it to the concept of ether.

Memory Tip

Think of 'ether' ('eth-') as a light, airy substance, and remember that 'ethionine' is an amino acid related to this structure.

Visually Confused Words