lipid
Meaning of lipid: A lipid is one of a broad group of water-insoluble or poorly water-soluble molecules that includes fats, phospholipids, and sterols.
Definition of lipid
A lipid is a member of a diverse group of organic molecules that do not dissolve readily in water. Lipids include fats and oils, phospholipids, sterols such as cholesterol, and other related compounds. They store energy, form much of the structure of cell membranes, insulate and protect tissues, and participate in cell signaling and hormone production.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Phospholipids are structural lipids that help form the cell membrane.
Good to know
A blood lipid panel usually reports cholesterol-related measurements and triglycerides; it does not measure every type of lipid in the body.
Word origin
Where “lipid” comes from
From Greek lipos, meaning “fat.” The word lipid names a broader chemical group than the everyday word fat.