sphingomyelin

American

[sfing-goh-mahy-uh-lin] / ˌsfɪŋ goʊˈmaɪ ə lɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

any of the class of phospholipids occurring chiefly in the brain and spinal cord, composed of phosphoric acid, choline, sphingosine, and a fatty acid.

sphingomyelin British

/ ˌsfɪŋɡəʊˈmaɪəlɪn /

noun

biochem any of a group of phospholipids, derived from sphingosine, that occur in biological membranes, being especially abundant in the brain

"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 sphingomyelin

< New Latin sphingo-, combining form representing Greek sphíngein to draw tight + myelin

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.

At that point, the level of a phospholipid known as lecithin usually rises sharply and surpasses the level of another lipid, sphingomyelin.

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