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 WordNet Dictionary |  
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|   | Definition: |   | [n]  an amino acid that is required by animals but that they cannot synthesize; must be supplied in the diet   |  
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|   | See Also: |   | amino acid, aminoalkanoic acid, arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, tryptophane, valine |       |  
 Biology Dictionary |  
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|   | Definition: |   | Any amino acid that can't be synthesized by an organism and must be taken  in as a nutrient; in humans, about half of the 20 amino acids we use  for growth and metabolism  are essential. |  
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