betaine

 
Pronunciation: /ˈbiːtəiːn/

noun

[mass noun] Chemistry
  • a crystalline compound with basic properties found in many plant juices.
    • Chemical formula: (CH3)3N+CH2CO2−
  • [count noun] any zwitterionic compound of the type represented by betaine.

Origin:

mid 19th century: formed irregularly from Latin beta 'beet' (because originally isolated from sugar beet) + -ine4