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tocopherol
noun
Examples of tocopherol in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tocopherol.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
toco- (combining form from Greek tókos "childbirth, act of giving birth [of animals]") + Greek phérein "to carry, bring, bring about, produce" + -ol entry 1; so named because it was found to be a dietary factor essential for reproduction in rats — more at dystocia, bear entry 2
Note: The name tocopherol was introduced in an article by the American anatomist and embryologist Herbert McLean Evans (1882-1971), the biochemist and nutritionist Gladys Anderson Emerson (1903-84), and the biochemist Oliver Huddleston Emerson ("The isolation from wheat germ oil of an alcohol, α-tocopherol, having the properties of Vitamin E," Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 113, no. 1 [February 1, 1936], pp. 319-32). The isolation of α-tocopherol is generally credited to Gladys Emerson.
circa 1936, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing tocopherol
Dictionary Entries Near tocopherol
Cite this Entry
“Tocopherol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tocopherol. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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nounMore from Merriam-Webster on tocopherol
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tocopherol
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