alkaloid

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: al=ka=loid

CIDE DICTIONARY

alkaloid, a. [Alkali + -oid: cf. F. alcaloïde.].

•  Pertaining to, resembling, or containing, alkali.  [1913 Webster]
•  of or pertaining to alkaloids.  [WordNet 1.5]

alkaloid, n. 

 An organic base, especially one of a class of nitrogen-containing substances occurring ready formed in the tissues of plants and the bodies of animals.  [1913 Webster]
" Alkaloids all contain nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen, and many of them also contain oxygen. They include many of the active principles in plants; thus, morphine and narcotine are alkaloids found in opium."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

alkaloid, n. any of a series of nitrogenous organic compounds of plant origin, many of which are used as drugs, e.g. morphine, quinine.

Etymology

G (as ALKALI)