ˈdōpə noun
( -s )
Etymology: d ihydr o xy p henyl a lanine
: a crystalline amino acid (HO) 2 C 6 H 3 CH 2 CH(NH 2 )COOH found in various fruits and vegetables and formed as an intermediate product in the oxidation of tyrosine by oxidases to dark pigments (as melanins); B−(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) = alanine