lactam: Meaning and Definition of

lac•tam

Pronunciation: (lak'tam), [key]
— n. Chem.
  1. any of a group of cyclic amides characterized by the NHCO group, derived from aminocarboxylic acids by the intramolecular elimination of water from the amino and carboxylic groups.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.