human dietary role vitamin (role) vitamin (role) A biochemical role played by any micronutrient that is an organic compound. Vitamins are present in foods in small amounts and are essential to normal metabolism and biochemical functions, usually as coenzymes. The term "vitamines" (from vita + amines) was coined in 1912 by Casimir Funk, who believed that these compounds were amines. vitamin CHEBI:10004 Wikipedia:Vitamin vitamines CHEBI:33229 vitamins chebi_ontology vitaminum CHEBI:27305 vitaminas vitamina vitamine