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lecithin

American

[les-uh-thin] / ˈlɛs ə θɪn /

noun

Biochemistry. any of a group of phospholipids, occurring in animal and plant tissues and egg yolk, composed of units of choline, phosphoric acid, fatty acids, and glycerol.
a commercial form of this substance, obtained chiefly from soybeans, corn, and egg yolk, used in foods, cosmetics, and inks.

lecithin British

/ ˈlɛsɪθɪn /

noun

Systematic name: phosphatidylcholine. biochem any of a group of phospholipids that are found in many plant and animal tissues, esp egg yolk: used in making candles, cosmetics, and inks, and as an emulsifier and stabilizer in foods ( E322 )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lecithin Scientific

/ lĕs′ə-thĭn /

A fatty substance present in most plant and animal tissues that is an important structural part of cell membranes, particularly in nervous tissue. It consists of a mixture of diglycerides of fatty acids (especially linoleic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic acid) linked to a phosphoric acid ester. Lecithin is used commercially in foods, cosmetics, paints, and plastics for its ability to form emulsions.

Etymology

Origin of lecithin

1860–65; < Greek lékith ( os ) egg yolk + -in ²

Vocabulary lists containing lecithin

Nutrition and Digestion - High School

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Researchers consider the foods as those made with ingredients not normally found in a home kitchen, including high-fructose corn syrup and emulsifiers such as soy lecithin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

Steroids, low-dose naltrexone, melatonin, lecithin, goldenseal, sceletium and a whole world of anti-inflammatory botanical ferments like kefir.

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2023

The Belgian-Swiss chocolate manufacturer reported that "the cleaning of the chocolate lines affected by the entry of salmonella-positive lecithin in its factory in Wieze, Belgium, is progressing well".

From Reuters • Jul. 15, 2022

Examples include gellan gum, locust bean gum, soy lecithin and, in the case of oat milk, vegetable oil.

From Washington Post • Jun. 20, 2022

What about lecithin and mono-, di-, and triglycerides?

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023