lycopene

American

[lahy-kuh-peen] / ˈlaɪ kəˌpin /

noun

Biochemistry.

a red crystalline substance, C 40 H 56 , that is the main pigment of certain fruits, as the tomato and paprika, and is a precursor to carotene in plant biosynthesis.

Lycopene British

/ ˈlaɪkəˌpiːn /

noun

an acyclic carotenoid occuring in tomatoes and some other ripe fruit as a red pigment. As an antioxidant its consumption can reduce the risk of some cancers

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lycopene Scientific

/ lī′kə-pēn′ /

A red carotenoid found chiefly in blood, the reproductive organs, tomatoes, and palm oils. It is an antioxidant and is the parent substance from which all natural carotenoids are derived. Chemical formula: C ₄₀ H ₅₆ .

Etymology

Origin of lycopene

1925–30; earlier lycop ( in ) (< New Latin Lycop ( ersicon ) tomato genus (< Greek lýk ( os ) wolf + -o- -o- + Persikón peach ¹ ) + -in ² ) + -ene

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A recent study suggests that older Americans who do not get enough lycopene in their diets face a much higher risk of developing severe periodontitis.

From Science Daily

For example, cooking tomatoes increases their lycopene content, a powerful antioxidant.

From Salon

By deleting or adding selected genes, they engineered strains that produced zeaxanthin as well as other valuable carotenoids -- beta-carotene, lycopene and astaxanthin -- when grown on an aromatic compound commonly found in lignin.

From Science Daily

The exceptions include lycopene in tomatoes, the compound that gives tomatoes their red color, which is actually higher in canned tomatoes than fresh tomatoes.

From Salon

For prostate cancer, eating foods rich in the antioxidant lycopene, such as tomatoes, appears to lessen the risk.

From Washington Post

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023