chitin

2 definitions found

chitin - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Chitin \Chi"tin\, n. [See Chiton.] (Chem.)
     A white amorphous horny substance forming the harder part of
     the outer integument of insects, crustacea, and various other
     invertebrates; entomolin.
     [1913 Webster]

chitin - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  chitin
      n 1: a tough semitransparent horny substance; the principal
           component of the exoskeletons of arthropods and the cell
           walls of certain fungi