Lecithin
/ˈlɛsɪθɪn/noun
A group of phospholipids found in cell membranes and used as an emulsifier in foods and pharmaceuticals.
Did you know?French chemist Théodore Gobley coined the term after isolating the substance from egg yolk in the 1850s, connecting a kitchen ingredient to the microscopic architecture of life.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
λεκιθος (lekithos)
“Egg yolk”
1850s
French
lécithine
“A phospholipid substance isolated from egg yolk”
Late 19th Century
Scientific Latin
lecithinum
“Lecithin, a constituent of egg yolk and tissues”
19th Century
English
lecithin
“A fatty substance occurring in animal and plant tissues”
Modern English
English
lecithin
“A mixture of phospholipids used biologically and as an emulsifier”
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