bilirubin

[ bil-uh-roo-bin, bil-uh-roo-bin ]
/ ˈbɪl əˌru bɪn, ˌbɪl əˈru bɪn /

noun Biochemistry.

a reddish bile pigment, C33H36O6N4, resulting from the degradation of heme by reticuloendothelial cells in the liver: a high level in the blood produces the yellow skin symptomatic of jaundice.

Origin of bilirubin

< German Bilirubin (1864), equivalent to Latin bīli(s) bile + rub(er) red + German -in -in2

Example sentences from the Web for bilirubin

British Dictionary definitions for bilirubin

bilirubin
/ (ˌbɪlɪˈruːbɪn, ˌbaɪ-) /

noun

an orange-yellow pigment in the bile formed as a breakdown product of haemoglobin. Excess amounts in the blood produce the yellow appearance associated with jaundice. Formula: C 32 H 36 O 6 N 4

Word Origin for bilirubin

C19: from bile 1 + Latin ruber red + -in

Medical definitions for bilirubin

bilirubin
[ bĭl′ĭ-rōōbĭn, bĭlĭ-rōō′- ]

n.

A red bile pigment derived from the degradation of hemoglobin during the normal and abnormal destruction of red blood cells.

Scientific definitions for bilirubin

bilirubin
[ bĭl′ĭ-rōōbĭn ]

A reddish-yellow pigment that is a constituent of bile and gives it its color. Bilirubin is a porphyrin derived from the degradation of heme. It is often a constituent of gallstones, and also causes the skin discoloration seen in jaundice. Chemical formula: C33H36N4O6.