glycogen

G2L1Y4C3O1G2E1N1
/ˈɡlaɪ.kə.d͡ʒn̩//ˈɡlɪ.kə.d͡ʒn̩/

noun

A polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals; converted to glucose as needed.

Similar
animal starch
OriginFrench glycogène ← Ancient Greek γένος (génos) ← Proto-Hellenic *génos →
Less commonScrabble 15
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounglycogen (countable and uncountable, plural glycogens)

plural glycogens

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryA polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals; converted to glucose as needed.

    Specifically the liver converts glucose into glycogen — a more compact chemical. It is a little bit like shrink-wrapping food so you can pack more of it into your freezer.

    2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Black Swan (2020), page 175

Synonyms & antonyms

nounone form in which body fuel is stored; stored primarily in the liver and broken down into glucose when needed by the body

Similar
animal starch
Broader
polysaccharidepolyose
Also see
animal starchhepatin

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Hellenic*dlukús
  2. Ancient Greekγλῠκῠ́ς (glŭkŭ́s)
  3. Frenchglyco-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*ǵénh₁os
  6. Proto-Hellenic*génos
  7. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  8. Frenchglycogène
  9. Englishglycogen

Borrowed from French glycogène. By surface analysis, glyco- + -gen.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan glicogen, glucogen
  • glicogenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
  • glucogenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Chinese Mandarin 糖原, 肝糖
  • 糖原 (tángyuán)polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
  • 肝糖 (gāntáng)polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Czech glykogen
  • glykogenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Dutch glycogeen
  • glycogeenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Esperanto glikogeno
  • glikogenopolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Finnish glykogeeni
  • glykogeenipolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
French glycogène
  • glycogènepolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
German Glykogen
  • Glykogenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Greek γλυκογόνο
  • γλυκογόνο (glykogóno)polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Icelandic glýkógen, dýrasterkja
  • glýkógenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
  • dýrasterkjapolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Indonesian glikogen
  • glikogenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Italian glicogeno
  • glicogenopolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Japanese 糖原, グリコーゲン
  • 糖原 (tōgen)polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
  • グリコーゲン (gurikōgen)polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Korean 글리코젠
  • 글리코젠 (geullikojen)polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Malay glikogen, kanji haiwan
  • glikogenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
  • kanji haiwanpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Persian گلیکوژن
  • گلیکوژن (gelikožen)polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Portuguese glicogénio, glicogênio
  • glicogéniopolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
  • glicogêniopolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Russian гликоге́н
  • гликоге́н (glikogén)polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Spanish glucógeno
  • glucógenopolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Swedish glykogen
  • glykogenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Turkish glikojen
  • glikojenpolysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals
Cite this entry
APA

glycogen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycogen

MLA

“glycogen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycogen. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “glycogen,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycogen.

Source: glycogen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.