glycolipid

American

[glahy-kuh-lip-id] / ˌglaɪ kəˈlɪp ɪd /

noun

Biochemistry.

any of a class of lipids, comprising the cerebrosides and gangliosides, that upon hydrolysis yield galactose or a similar sugar, a fatty acid, and sphingosine or dihydrosphingosine.

glycolipid British

/ ˌɡlaɪkəʊˈlɪpɪd /

noun

any of a group of lipids containing a carbohydrate group, commonly glucose or galactose

"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

Etymology

Origin of glycolipid

First recorded in 1935–40; glyco- + lipid

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.

A characteristic of red blood cells is their glycolipid and glycoprotein coating; these are lipids and proteins that have carbohydrate molecules attached.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The keratinocytes in the stratum spinosum begin the synthesis of keratin and release a water-repelling glycolipid that helps prevent water loss from the body, making the skin relatively waterproof.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

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