Meanings
plural lectins
- biochemistryAny of a class of proteins that bind specific carbohydrates.
The result proved less about the safety of genetic engineering than it did about the safety of lectins – known animal poisons.
1999, Matt Ridley, Genome, Harper Perennial, published 2004, page 2521 more example
Soybeans are another excellent source of plant proteins but they are also on the list of high lectin foods. They are very important to vegans and vegetarians as they make it easy for them to get adequate proteins in their diet.
2018, Stanley Adamson, Lectin Free Handbook: The Essential Guide To The Lectin Diet Plus A 7-Day Lectin Avoidance Meal Plan And Recipes, PublishDrive
Origin
From Latin lēctus (“chosen”) + -in. Coined by W.C. Boyd in 1954.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish lektiini
- lektiiniTranslations
French lectine
- lectineTranslations
Russian лекти́н
- лекти́н (lektín)Translations
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with lectin
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
lectin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lectin
“lectin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lectin. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lectin,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lectin.
Source: lectin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.