phycobilin

P3H4Y4C3O1B3I1L1I1N1

noun

Any of a group of bilins (pigments derived from porphyrins) found in some photosynthetic algae; they are open-chain tetrapyrroles related to mammalian bile pigments.

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Meanings

nounphycobilin (plural phycobilins)

plural phycobilins

  1. biochemistryAny of a group of bilins (pigments derived from porphyrins) found in some photosynthetic algae; they are open-chain tetrapyrroles related to mammalian bile pigments.

Origin

From international scientific vocabulary, reflecting New Latin roots/stems referring to plants and bile. By surface analysis, phyco- + bilin = phyco- + bili- + -in, although according to American Heritage Dictionary, bilin was back-formed from phycobilin (as opposed to phycobilin being derived from bilin as surface analysis suggests).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Italian ficobilina
  • ficobilinahighly coloured pigment found in photosynthetic algae
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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