Meaning & use
lipid
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountabletechnicalbiologychemistry
Any of a group of natural substances that do not dissolve in water, including fats, oils, waxes, and steroids.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a lipid, lipids, or several lipids.
Patterns
- a lipid molecule
- lipids in the blood
- a type of lipid
The cell membrane is made mainly of lipids and proteins.
A blood test can measure the level of lipids in your body.
Olive oil is rich in healthy lipids.
Word forms
| plural | lipids |
|---|
Common combinations
- lipid bilayer
- The lipid bilayer forms the outer boundary of the cell.
- lipid profile
- The doctor ordered a lipid profile to check his cholesterol.
- lipid metabolism
- Exercise can improve lipid metabolism.
- lipid-soluble
- Some vitamins are lipid-soluble and need fat to be absorbed.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- lipidic adjective
- Relating to lipids.
Commonly confused: lipid or lipide?
lipid vs lipide
Lipide is an older variant spelling; lipid is now standard.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'lipid' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Lipids are fats and fat-like substances that do not dissolve in water. The other options describe carbohydrates, oxygen transport, or make a false claim about distribution.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lipid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.