French word

vitamine

Pronunciation

IPA/vitamin/

Meaning

  • feminine nounvitamin

Example

Je prends une vitamine tous les matins.

I take a vitamin every morning.

Illustration for vitamine (vitamin)

More examples

Mon médecin recommande de prendre des vitamines pendant l'hiver.

My doctor recommends taking vitamins during the winter.

Core concept

A minute organic substance carried in food and needed for the body's systems to work properly.

Common phrases

  • prendre des vitamines

    take vitamins

  • apport en vitamine

    vitamin intake

  • source de vitamine

    source of vitamins

Similar words

minéral: An inorganic nutrient that helps build bones and teeth and maintain fluid balance.
protéine: A nutrient that builds and repairs body tissues and supports growth.
nutriment: A nutrient that supplies the body with energy or materials needed for life.

Definition in French

Composé organique indispensable en petites quantités pour le fonctionnement normal de l'organisme et pour prévenir les carences, apporté principalement par l'alimentation.

Word origin

French adopted the 1912 coinage vitamine, built from Latin vita for 'life' and amine, which reflected the original but incorrect belief that these substances were amines.

Usage tips

  • A general reference often uses des vitamines, whereas a named type uses la vitamine D.

Related words

  • multivitaminemultivitaminnoun
  • vitaminiquevitaminadjective

Word lists with this word