Definition

A chemical compound that is alkaline and crystalline, often used in making plastics and other materials, and is produced in the body during protein breakdown.

Example

Guanidine is used in laboratories for various chemical reactions and processes.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of guanidine?

Yeah, isn’t it something to do with proteins or something?

Exactly! It’s a compound that can be found in urine after protein metabolism.

That’s interesting! I didn’t know it had such unique uses.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Guanidine is derived from 'guanidino' (from the compound guanine, which comes from the Latin 'guanina', meaning from guano) and '-ine' (a suffix used in chemistry to denote substances). The word refers to a compound related to guanine, which is found in guano, a fertilizer made from bird excrement.

Memory Tip

Think of 'guanidine' as a substance related to 'guanine', which comes from 'guano', a natural fertilizer. This helps you remember that guanidine is a compound associated with guano.

Visually Confused Words