porphyrin

P3O1R1P3H4Y4R1I1N1
UK/ˈpɔːfɪɹɪn/US/ˈpɔɹfəɹɪn/

noun

Any of a class of heterocyclic compounds containing pyrrole rings arranged in a square or other similar shape; they are important in biochemistry in a form with a metal atom in the central cavity (hemoglobin with iron, chlorophyll with magnesium, etc.).

OriginGerman Porphyrin →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounporphyrin (plural porphyrins)

plural porphyrins

  1. chemistryAny of a class of heterocyclic compounds containing pyrrole rings arranged in a square or other similar shape; they are important in biochemistry in a form with a metal atom in the central cavity (hemoglobin with iron, chlorophyll with magnesium, etc.).

Origin

  1. GermanPorphyrin
  2. Englishporphyrin

From German Porphyrin, shortened from Hämatoporphyrin (“haematoporphyrin”).

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan porfirina
  • porfirinaheterocyclic compound
Chinese Cantonese 卟啉
  • 卟啉 (buk¹ lam⁴)heterocyclic compound
Chinese Mandarin 卟啉
  • 卟啉 (bǔlín)heterocyclic compound
Finnish porfyriini
  • porfyriiniheterocyclic compound
German Porphyrin
  • Porphyrinheterocyclic compound
Italian porfirina
  • porfirinaheterocyclic compound
Japanese ポルフィリン
  • ポルフィリン (porufirin)heterocyclic compound
Korean 포르피린
  • 포르피린 (poreupirin)heterocyclic compound
Spanish porfirina
  • porfirinaheterocyclic compound
Turkish porfirin
  • porfirinheterocyclic compound
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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