lycopene

American  

[lahy-kuh-peen] / ˈlaɪ kəˌpin /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a red crystalline substance, C 40 H 56 , that is the main pigment of certain fruits, as the tomato and paprika, and is a precursor to carotene in plant biosynthesis.

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Lycopene British  

/ ˈlaɪkəˌpiːn /

noun

1. an acyclic carotenoid occuring in tomatoes and some other ripe fruit as a red pigment. As an antioxidant its consumption can reduce the risk of some cancers

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lycopene Scientific  

/ lī′kə-pēn′ /

1. A red carotenoid found chiefly in blood, the reproductive organs, tomatoes, and palm oils. It is an antioxidant and is the parent substance from which all natural carotenoids are derived. Chemical formula: C ₄₀ H ₅₆ .

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Etymology

Origin of lycopene

1925–30; earlier lycop ( in ) (< New Latin Lycop ( ersicon ) tomato genus (< Greek lýk ( os ) wolf + -o- -o- + Persikón peach ¹ ) + -in ² ) + -ene

Example Sentences

However, they caution that the study design was cross-sectional, meaning it cannot prove that low lycopene intake directly causes gum disease.

From Science Daily • Feb. 10, 2026

By deleting or adding selected genes, they engineered strains that produced zeaxanthin as well as other valuable carotenoids -- beta-carotene, lycopene and astaxanthin -- when grown on an aromatic compound commonly found in lignin.

From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2023

The exceptions include lycopene in tomatoes, the compound that gives tomatoes their red color, which is actually higher in canned tomatoes than fresh tomatoes.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2023

For 12 weeks, one group took a daily pill containing 14 milligrams of lactolycopene, a combination of whey protein and lycopene that makes the lycopene easier to absorb.

From New York Times • Oct. 15, 2019

You may have seen one of these polyphenols advertised on your ketchup bottle—one called lycopene.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan