n.
Pronunciation: ' o ̇ r-n ə - ˌ th ē n
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary ornith uric acid (a compound of which ornithine is a component, found in the urine of birds) + 2 -ine
Date: 1881
: a crystalline amino acid C 5 H 12 N 2 O 2 that functions especially in urea production as a carrier by undergoing conversion to citrulline and then arginine in reaction with ammonia and carbon dioxide followed by recovery along with urea by enzymatic hydrolysis of arginine