LACTAM

Noun

lactam (plural lactams)

(organic chemistry) Any of a class of cyclic amides that are the nitrogen analogs of lactones, formed by heating amino acids; the tautomeric enol forms are known as lactims.

Usage notes

Greek prefixes indicate the ring size e.g. α- 3-membered, β- 4-membered.

Source: Wiktionary


Lac"tam, n. Etym: [Lactone + amido.] (Chem.)

Definition: One of a series of anhydrides of an amido type, analogous to the lactones, as oxindol.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

6 May 2025

HEEDLESS

(adjective) marked by or paying little heed or attention; “We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics”--Franklin D. Roosevelt; “heedless of danger”; “heedless of the child’s crying”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee has initially been a food – chewed, not sipped. Early African tribes consume coffee by grinding the berries together, adding some animal fat, and rolling the treats into tiny edible energy balls.

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