glu·co·sa·mine (glo?o-k??s?-m?n?, glo?o?k?-)n. An amino derivative of glucose, C6H13NO5, in which an amino group replaces a hydroxyl group. It is a component of many polysaccharides and the basic structural unit of chitin, and is used as an over-the-counter dietary supplement alone or in combination with chondroitin for treatment of joint pain in arthritis.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.glucosamine (?lu??k??z??mi?n) n1. (Elements & Compounds) the amino derivative of glucose that occurs in chitin. It has been used in some herbal remedies2. (Complementary Medicine) the amino derivative of glucose that occurs in chitin. It has been used in some herbal remediesCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014glu?co?sa?mine (glu?ko? s??min, -m?n) n. an amino sugar occurring in many polysaccharides of vertebrate tissue and also as the major component of chitin. [1880?85; glucose + -amine] Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.