noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈlɪpɪd/
/ˈlɪpəd/weak vowel merger
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪd
CMU ARPABET:L AY1 P AH0 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Any of a group of organic compounds including the fats, oils, waxes, sterols, and triglycerides. Lipids are characterized by being insoluble in water.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
an oily organic compound insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents; essential structural component of living cells (along with proteins and carbohydrates)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *leyp- Proto-Hellenic *lípos Ancient Greek λῐ́πος (lĭ́pos) Proto-Indo-European *dheh1-der. Proto-Italic *-iðos Latin -idusbor. French -ide French lipidebor. English lipid Borrowed from French lipide, coined in 1923 by Gabriel Bertrand from Ancient Greek λῐ́πος (lĭ́pos, “animal fat”) + French -ide.
Across languages
Translations
42 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
لِيبِيد
(lībīd)
— organic compound
Arabic:
لِيبِيد
(libid)
— organic compound
Arabic:
دُهْنِيَّة
(duhniyya)
— organic compound
Catalan:
lípid
— organic compound
Chinese Cantonese:
脂類 /脂类
(zi1 leoi6)
— organic compound
Chinese Cantonese:
脂質 /脂质
(zi1 zat1)
— organic compound
Chinese Mandarin:
脂類 /脂类
(zhīlèi)
— organic compound
Chinese Mandarin:
脂質 /脂质
(zhīzhì, zhīzhí)
— organic compound
