Meaning & use
chitin
A tough, semi-transparent substance that forms the exoskeletons of insects and shells of crustaceans.
See it in a sentence
A crab's hard shell is made largely of chitin, which protects its soft body inside.
Fungal cell walls also contain chitin, unlike the cellulose found in plant cell walls.
A note on using this word
Chitin is chemically similar to cellulose but is found in animals and fungi rather than plants.
Words with a similar meaning
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