Did you know that 'vitamin' is actually German?

'Vitamin' is a word borrowed from German 'vitamin'. The word entered the English language some time around 1912.

vitamin [noun] [circa 1912]

Any of various organic substances that are essential in minute quantities to the nutrition of most animals and some pla...

See 'vitamin' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from German.

Etymology: Alteration of 'vitamine' from Latin 'vita' life + English 'amine'

See more loan words from 1910s.