Definition

A type of amino acid that is important for human nutrition and is found in proteins.

Example

Threonine is one of the essential amino acids that our body needs to function properly.

Conversation

Have you heard about threonine and its benefits for our health?

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

Exactly! It's interesting how our body can't produce threonine on its own.

Right! So we have to get it from food sources like meat and dairy.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Threonine is derived from the Greek word "threon" (meaning a type of sugar) and the suffix "-ine" (commonly used in chemistry to denote amino acids). The word refers to an amino acid that is structurally related to sugars, specifically a hydroxyl amino acid.

Memory Tip

Think of 'threon' as relating to a type of sugar, which helps you remember that threonine is an amino acid connected to sugar structures.

Visually Confused Words