noun. Any of a class of yellow to red pigments, including the carotenes and the xanthophylls.

adjective. Of or relating to such a pigment.

noun. Any of a class of yellow to red plant pigments including the carotenes and xanthophylls.

adjective. Of, or relating to such a class of pigments.

noun. any of a class of highly unsaturated yellow to red pigments occurring in plants and animals

"He was soon drawn deeply into studies of how the small variations in carotenoid structures are involved in biological functions."

alpha-carotene  astaxanthin  auroxanthin  beta-carotene  canthaxanthin  

antioxidant  phytochemical  pigment  

beta-carotene  carotene  lutein  lycopene  xanthophyl  

anthocyanin  chlorophyll  costimulatory  light-sensitive  otolith