/ ˈvɪtəmɪn; NAmE ˈvaɪt-/ noun
a natural substance found in food that is an essential part of what humans and animals eat to help them grow and stay healthy. There are many different vitamins :
breakfast cereals enriched with vitamins
vitamin deficiency
vitamin pills
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WORD ORIGIN
early 20th cent.: from Latin vita life + amine , because vitamins were originally thought to contain an amino acid.