Urea
/jʊˈɹiːə/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A water-soluble organic compound, CO(NH₂)₂, formed by the metabolism of proteins and excreted in the urine. uncountable
- 2 the chief solid component of mammalian urine; synthesized from ammonia and carbon dioxide and used as fertilizer and in animal feed and in plastics wordnet
- 3 Any N-substituted derivative of urea, with the general formula (R₁R₂N)CO(NR₃R₄). countable
Example
More examples"Ethyl carbamate (also called urethane) can form during the fermentation and storage of foods and beverages that naturally contain nitrogen-rich compounds such as urea, citrulline, and cyanate."
Etymology
From New Latin, from French urée, from Ancient Greek οὖρον (oûron, “urine”).