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Webster 1913 Edition


Lecithin

Lec′i-thin

,
Noun.
[Gr.
λέκιθοσ
the yolk of an egg.]
(Physiol. Chem.)
A complex, nitrogenous phosphorized substance widely distributed through the animal body, and especially conspicuous in the brain and nerve tissue, in yolk of eggs, and in the white blood corpuscles.

Definition 2024


lecithin

lecithin

English

Noun

lecithin (plural lecithins)

  1. (organic chemistry) The principal phospholipid in animals; it is particularly abundant in egg yolks, and is extracted commercially from soy. It is a major constituent of cell membranes, and is commonly used as a food additive (as an emulsifier).

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