sinigrin: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/TechnicalTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “sinigrin” mean?
A sulfur-containing glycoside (chemical compound) found in plants of the Brassicaceae family, such as horseradish, mustard, and Brussels sprouts.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sulfur-containing glycoside (chemical compound) found in plants of the Brassicaceae family, such as horseradish, mustard, and Brussels sprouts.
A specific type of glucosinolate that, when the plant tissue is damaged, is hydrolyzed by the enzyme myrosinase to produce allyl isothiocyanate, which is responsible for the pungent taste and aroma of these plants.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No lexical differences. Spelling and pronunciation are identical. Usage is confined to identical technical/scientific contexts.
Connotations
Purely denotative; carries no cultural or stylistic connotations in either variety.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties, used exclusively in academic papers, technical manuals, and advanced botanical/chemical discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “sinigrin” in a Sentence
The [Plant/Extract] contains sinigrin.Sinigrin is hydrolyzed by [Enzyme] to form [Product].Researchers quantified the sinigrin in the samples.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sinigrin” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The sinigrin concentration was measured.
- A sinigrin-rich extract was prepared.
American English
- The sinigrin concentration was measured.
- A sinigrin-rich extract was prepared.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. Might appear in R&D reports for food, agriculture, or pharmaceutical companies dealing with brassica crops.
Academic
Core usage domain. Common in biochemistry, plant physiology, food science, and pharmacology journals.
Everyday
Never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
The primary domain. Used in laboratory analysis, scientific writing, and technical specifications for food or plant products.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sinigrin”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sinigrin”
- Misspelling as 'cynigrin', 'sinigrine', or 'synigrin'.
- Incorrect pronunciation with stress on the second syllable.
- Using it as a general term for 'spiciness' rather than the specific compound.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but in lower concentrations compared to plants like mustard or horseradish. Broccoli contains various glucosinolates, with glucoraphanin being more prominent than sinigrin.
In the amounts consumed in a normal diet, sinigrin and its breakdown products are not harmful and are studied for potential health benefits, including anti-cancer properties. Excessive consumption of pure compounds can be irritating.
No. Intact sinigrin is not pungent. The pungent taste (of mustard, wasabi) comes from allyl isothiocyanate, which is only produced when sinigrin is enzymatically broken down after plant cells are damaged (e.g., by cutting or chewing).
Glucosinolate is the general class of sulfur-containing compounds. Sinigrin is one specific, well-studied member of that class (allyl glucosinolate).
A sulfur-containing glycoside (chemical compound) found in plants of the Brassicaceae family, such as horseradish, mustard, and Brussels sprouts.
Sinigrin is usually technical/scientific in register.
Sinigrin: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɪnɪɡrɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɪnɪɡrɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SINIGRIN: SINews (signs) of GRINding. When you GRIND SINapis (the Latin genus for mustard) seeds, the SINIGRIN inside breaks down and makes your eyes water.
Conceptual Metaphor
N/A. The term is a technical label for a chemical entity.
Practice
Quiz
In which family of plants is sinigrin primarily found?