Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1800-1900
Language: Italian
Origin: ptomaina, from Greek ptoma 'fall, fallen body, dead body', from piptein 'to fall'

ptomaine

 noun
     
Related topics: Microbes, Genetics, Biochem
pto‧maine [uncountable and countable]
HBM a poisonous substance formed by bacteria in decaying food
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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