Standard Lemma guide

lactam

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈlækˌtæm/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of a class of cyclic amides that are the nitrogen analogs of lactones, formed by heating amino acids; the tautomeric enol forms are known as lactims.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin lacder. English lacto- German Ketonbor. English ketone English -one English lac(tone) Egyptian jmnbor. Ancient Greek Ᾰ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)bor. Latin Ammōn Latin ammoniacusder. English ammonia Proto-Indo-European *dheh1-der. Proto-Italic *-iðos Latin -idusder. English -ide English am(ide) English lactam From lac(tone) + am(ide).

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: laktaami — cyclic amides, nitrogen analogs of lactones
  • French: lactame — cyclic amides, nitrogen analogs of lactones
  • Italian: lattame — cyclic amides, nitrogen analogs of lactones
  • Portuguese: lactama — cyclic amides, nitrogen analogs of lactones