asparagine Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a crystalline amino acid found in proteins and in many plants (e.g., asparagus)

WordNet

As*par"a*gine noun
Etymology
Cf. F. asparagine.
Definitions
  1. (Chem.) A white, nitrogenous, crystallizable substance, C4H8N2O3+H2O, found in many plants, and first obtained from asparagus. It is believed to aid in the disposition of nitrogenous matter throughout the plant; -- called also altheine.

Webster 1913