triglyceride

American  

[trahy-glis-uh-rahyd, -er-id] / traɪˈglɪs əˌraɪd, -ər ɪd /

noun

Biochemistry, Chemistry.

1. an ester obtained from glycerol by the esterification of three hydroxyl groups with fatty acids, naturally occurring in animal and vegetable tissues: an important energy source forming much of the fat stored by the body.

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triglyceride British  

/ traɪˈɡlɪsəˌraɪd /

noun

1. any ester of glycerol and one or more carboxylic acids, in which each glycerol molecule has combined with three carboxylic acid molecules. Most natural fats and oils are triglycerides

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triglyceride Scientific  

/ trī-glĭs′ə-rīd′ /

1. Any of a class of organic compounds that are esters consisting of three fatty acids joined to glycerol. The fatty acids may be the same or may be different. Triglycerides are the chief lipids constituting fats and oils and function to store chemical energy in plants and animals.

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Etymology

Origin of triglyceride

First recorded in 1855–60; tri- + glyceride

Example Sentences

Results showed no meaningful differences between the two types of fats in blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels, including the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol, a key measure of cardiovascular risk.

From Science Daily • Oct. 28, 2025

Making healthy lifestyle choices — like exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake and consuming a diet that’s high in fibers and healthy fats — can greatly reduce triglyceride levels.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2024

Maybe our man received a frightening blood pressure reading or a triglyceride audit that fell outside acceptable margins and has decided to take matters into his own hands.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2024

Some studies have found that very-low-carb diets can help with weight loss and improve certain markers of metabolic health, like blood sugar and triglyceride levels.

From Washington Post • Apr. 27, 2023

Acetin Method.—This consists in converting the glycerol into its ester with acetic acid, the acetic triglyceride, or triacetin being formed.

From The Handbook of Soap Manufacture by Simmons, W. H.