phospholipid

[ fos-foh-lip-id ]

/ ˌfɒs foʊˈlɪp ɪd /

noun Biochemistry.

any of a group of fatty compounds, as lecithin, composed of phosphoric esters, and occurring in living cells.

Nearby words

phosphodiesterase, phosphoenolpyruvic acid, phosphoglyceride, phosphohexose isomerase deficiency, phospholipase, phospholipid, phospholipid bilayer, phosphomutase, phosphonecrosis, phosphonic acid, phosphonium

Origin of phospholipid

First recorded in 1925–30; phospho- + lipid

Also called phosphatide, phos·pho·lip·ide

[fos-foh-lip-ahyd] /ˌfɒs foʊˈlɪp aɪd/, phos·pho·lip·in

[fos-foh-lip-in] /ˌfɒs foʊˈlɪp ɪn/.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for phospholipid

phospholipid

/ (ˌfɒsfəˈlɪpɪd) /

noun

any of a group of compounds composed of fatty acids, phosphoric acid, and a nitrogenous base: important constituents of all membranesAlso called: phosphatide

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

Medicine definitions for phospholipid

phospholipid

[ fŏs′fō-lĭp′ĭd ]

n.

Any of various phosphorous-containing lipids that are composed mainly of fatty acids, a phosphate group, and a simple organic molecule.phosphatide

Science definitions for phospholipid

phospholipid

[ fŏs′fō-lĭp′ĭd ]

Any of various phosphorus-containing lipids, such as lecithin, that are composed mainly of fatty acids, a phosphate group, and a simple organic molecule such as glycerol. Phospholipids are the main lipids in cell membranes.