Definition

A type of amino acid that contains sulfur and is important for human health. It is found in many proteins and can be taken as a supplement.

Example

Methionine is essential for the growth and repair of tissues in the body.

Conversation

Have you heard about methionine?

Yeah, I read that it's an essential amino acid.

Exactly! It's important for protein synthesis and overall health.

I might need to include more foods rich in methionine in my diet.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Methionine → It is formed from "meth" (from Greek "mēthē", meaning wine or alcohol) and "-ionine" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote amino acids). The word refers to an amino acid that contains a sulfur atom, originally derived from a compound related to wine.

Memory Tip

Think of 'meth' relating to wine and 'ionine' indicating it's an amino acid — this helps you remember that methionine is a specific amino acid.

Visually Confused Words