lipid

American  

[lip-id, lahy-pid] / ˈlɪp ɪd, ˈlaɪ pɪd /

Also lipide

noun

Biochemistry.

• lipids
  plural

1. any of a group of organic compounds that are greasy to the touch, insoluble in water, and soluble in alcohol and ether: lipids comprise the fats and other esters with analogous properties and constitute, with proteins and carbohydrates, the chief structural components of living cells.

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lipid British  

/ ˈlɪpɪd, ˈlaɪpɪd /

noun

1. Former name: lipoid. biochem any of a large group of organic compounds that are esters of fatty acids ( simple lipids , such as fats and waxes) or closely related substances ( compound lipids , such as phospholipids): usually insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol and other organic solvents. They are important structural materials in living organisms

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lipid Scientific  

/ lĭp′ĭd /

1. Any of a large group of organic compounds that are oily to the touch and insoluble in water. Lipids include fatty acids, oils, waxes, sterols, and triglycerides. They are a source of stored energy and are a component of cell membranes.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lipids
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lipid

First recorded in 1920–25; lip- + -id ³

Explanation

A lipid is a waxy or oily organic molecule that is insoluble in water. Certain vitamins, like A, D, E, and K, are lipids. Lipids are sometimes described as fat-soluble, rather than water-soluble. A more precise way to think of them is "soluble in organic solvents." The same way a dollop of oil floats on a bowl of water, or a greasy pan only gets clean once you've added dish soap to the water, a lipid keeps itself separate from water. This gives it the ability to store energy and provide insulation. Lipid is derived from the Greek lipos, "fat or grease."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lipid lipids

Researchers found a greater number of genes linked to heat production, fat and lipid storage, and light perception.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

Researchers also observed differences in both the amount and distribution of lipid droplets within the kidneys.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

Using the cats' behavior as a guide, the scientists narrowed their search to a lipid fraction in urine containing unusual BFAs.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

Plasmalogens are a type of lipid, or fat molecule, that forms an important part of cell membranes.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026

Before Citra left home, Mrs. Yeltner had reset her lipid point to svelte.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Lipids containing BFAs were also present among neutral lipids stored inside droplets in the renal cortex.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

Modern analytical methods have made it possible to investigate food lipids in far greater detail.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

When PPARδ signaling is active, it promotes fatty acid oxidation and helps limit the accumulation of lipids inside cells.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026

These compounds reduce the body's production of lipids.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026

They dissolved the lipids in alcohol—but there was no change in transformation.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee