Theophylline
/θi.əˈfɪl.iːn/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A bitter crystalline compound present in small quantities in tea leaves, isomeric with theobromine; used as a drug in therapy for respiratory diseases. uncountable
- 2 a colorless crystalline alkaloid derived from tea leaves or made synthetically; used in medicine as a bronchial dilator wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsEtymology
From translingual Thea (“former genus name for the tea plant”) + Ancient Greek φύλλον (phúllon, “leaf”) + -ine.