ALL meanings of chitin
chi·tin
C c - noun chitin a polysaccharide that is the principal component of the exoskeletons of arthropods and of the bodies of fungi 3
- noun chitin a tough, horny polysaccharide, (C8H13NO5)n, secreted by the epidermis and forming the main bulk of the outer covering of insects, crustaceans, etc. 3
- noun chitin hard shiny substance of beetles' shells, etc. 1
- noun chitin A fibrous substance consisting of polysaccharides and forming the major constituent in the exoskeleton of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi. 1
- noun chitin a nitrogen-containing polysaccharide, related chemically to cellulose, that forms a semitransparent horny substance and is a principal constituent of the exoskeleton, or outer covering, of insects, crustaceans, and arachnids. 1
- noun chitin (biochemistry) A complex polysaccharide, a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine, found in the exoskeletons of arthropods and in the cell walls of fungi; thought to be responsible for some forms of asthma in humans. 0