glycolipid

G2L1Y4C3O1L1I1P3I1D2
US/ˈɡlaɪkoʊˌlɪpɪd/

noun

An association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid, such as phosphatidylinositol, found in cell membranes

OriginEnglish lipid ← French lipide ← Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounglycolipid (plural glycolipids)

plural glycolipids

  1. biochemistryAn association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid, such as phosphatidylinositol, found in cell membranes
  2. biochemistryA similar compound lacking a phosphate group

Origin

  1. Proto-Hellenic*dlukús
  2. Ancient Greekγλῠκῠ́ς (glŭkŭ́s)
  3. Englishglyco-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*leyp-
  5. Proto-Hellenic*lípos
  6. Ancient Greekλῐ́πος (lĭ́pos)
  7. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  8. Frenchlipide
  9. Englishlipid
  10. Englishglycolipid

From glyco- + lipid.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 糖脂
  • 糖脂 (tong⁴ zi¹)an association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Chinese Mandarin 糖脂
  • 糖脂 (tángzhī)an association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
French glycolipide
  • glycolipidean association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
German Glycolipid
  • Glycolipidan association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Greek γλυκολιπίδιο
  • γλυκολιπίδιο (glykolipídio)an association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Italian glicolipide
  • glicolipidean association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Japanese 糖脂質
  • 糖脂質an association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Portuguese glicolipídio
  • glicolipídioan association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Romanian glicolipidă
  • glicolipidăan association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Spanish glucolípido
  • glucolípidoan association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Turkish glikolipit
  • glikolipitan association of a carbohydrate and a phospholipid found in cell membranes
Cite this entry
APA

glycolipid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycolipid

MLA

“glycolipid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycolipid. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “glycolipid,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glycolipid.

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