Meanings
plural heparins
- countableuncountablebiochemistryA compound occurring in the liver and other tissues which inhibits blood coagulation. A sulfur-containing polysaccharide, it is used as an anticoagulant in the treatment of thrombosis.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna polysaccharide produced in basophils (especially in the lung and liver) and that inhibits the activity of thrombin in coagulation of the blood; it (trade names Lipo-Hepin and Liquaemin) is used as an anticoagulant in the treatment of thrombosis and in heart surgery
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*(H)yekʷ-
- Proto-Indo-European*yókʷr̥
- Proto-Hellenic*yêkʷər
- Ancient Greekἧπαρ (hêpar)
- Latinhepar
- Englishheparin
From Latin hepar (“liver”) + English -in.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan heparina
- heparinaa glycosaminoglycan
Finnish hepariini
- hepariinia glycosaminoglycan
French héparine
- héparinea glycosaminoglycan
German Heparin
- Heparina glycosaminoglycan
Italian eparina
- eparinaa glycosaminoglycan
Persian هپارین
- هپارین (hepârin)a glycosaminoglycan
Polish heparyna
- heparynaa glycosaminoglycan
Portuguese heparina
- heparinaa glycosaminoglycan
Russian гепари́н
- гепари́н (geparín)a glycosaminoglycan
Spanish heparina
- heparinaa glycosaminoglycan
Turkish heparin
- heparina glycosaminoglycan
Cite this entry
heparin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heparin
“heparin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heparin. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heparin,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heparin.
Source: heparin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.