phospholipid

P3H4O1S1P3H4O1L1I1P3I1D2
US/ˌfɑs.foʊˈlɪ.pɪd/US/ˌfɑs.fəˈlɪ.pɪd/

noun

Any lipid, such as lecithin or cephalin, consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group and a simple organic molecule such as choline or ethanolamine; they are important constituents of biological membranes.

Similar
phosphatide
OriginEnglish lipid ← French lipide ← Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- →
Less commonScrabble 25
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Meanings

nounphospholipid (plural phospholipids)

plural phospholipids

  1. chemistryAny lipid, such as lecithin or cephalin, consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group and a simple organic molecule such as choline or ethanolamine; they are important constituents of biological membranes.

    An index of the amount of phospholipids present was secured from the total phosphorus content of a third aliquot, the method employed being the colorimetric procedure devised by Whitehorn.

    1926, HC Eckstein, “The cholesterol and phospholipid content of the cutaneous epithelium of man”, in Journal of Biological Chemistry

    Synonyms: phosphatide

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny lipid, such as lecithin or cephalin, consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group and a simple organic molecule such as choline or ethanolamine; they are important constituents of biological membranes.

Similar
phosphatide

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
  4. Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
  5. Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰer-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéreti
  8. Proto-Hellenic*pʰérō
  9. Ancient Greekφέρω (phérō)
  10. Ancient Greekφωσφόρος (phōsphóros)
  11. Latinphōsphorus
  12. Englishphosphorus
  13. Englishphospho-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*leyp-
  15. Proto-Hellenic*lípos
  16. Ancient Greekλῐ́πος (lĭ́pos)
  17. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  18. Frenchlipide
  19. Englishlipid
  20. Englishphospholipid

From phospho- + lipid.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic دُهْن فُوسْفُورِيّ, لِيبِيد مُفَسْفَر
  • دُهْن فُوسْفُورِيّ (duhn fusfūriyy)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
  • لِيبِيد مُفَسْفَر (libid mufasfar)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
  • فُوسْفُولِيبِيد (fusfūlibid)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Chinese Mandarin 磷脂
  • 磷脂 (línzhī)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Czech fosfolipid
  • fosfolipidlipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Danish fosfolipid
  • fosfolipidlipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Finnish fosfolipidi
  • fosfolipidilipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
French phospholipide
  • phospholipidelipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
German Phospholipid
  • Phospholipidlipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Greek φωσφολιπίδιο
  • φωσφολιπίδιο (fosfolipídio)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Hindi भास्ववसा
  • भास्ववसा (bhāsvavsā)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Hungarian foszfolipid
  • foszfolipidlipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Indonesian fosfolipid
  • fosfolipidlipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Irish fosfailipid
  • fosfailipidlipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Italian fosfolipide
  • fosfolipidelipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Japanese リン脂質, 燐脂質
  • リン脂質 (rin-shishitsu)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
  • 燐脂質 (rin-shishitsu)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Portuguese fosfolipídio, fosfolípide
  • fosfolipídiolipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
  • fosfolípidelipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Russian фосфолипи́д
  • фосфолипи́д (fosfolipíd)lipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Spanish fosfolípido
  • fosfolípidolipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Swedish fosfolipid
  • fosfolipidlipid consisting of a diglyceride combined with a phosphate group
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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