cerebroside: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Specialist/ScientificTechnical/Medical/Biochemical
Quick answer
What does “cerebroside” mean?
A type of glycolipid molecule found in animal cell membranes, particularly in nervous tissue, consisting of a ceramide linked to a monosaccharide.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of glycolipid molecule found in animal cell membranes, particularly in nervous tissue, consisting of a ceramide linked to a monosaccharide.
Biochemical compounds forming part of the myelin sheath; their accumulation or degradation is linked to several rare metabolic disorders.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; spelling and usage are identical in both variants.
Connotations
Purely technical, neutral, and non-emotive in both contexts.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency outside specialised medical, biochemical, or neuroscience literature.
Grammar
How to Use “cerebroside” in a Sentence
Cerebroside(s) accumulate(s) in...The synthesis of cerebrosides...A deficiency affecting cerebrosides...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cerebroside” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The cerebroside fraction was analysed.
American English
- Cerebroside metabolism is disrupted.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Central term in biochemistry and neurology for a class of membrane lipids.
Technical
Used in laboratory reports, medical diagnoses (e.g., Gaucher disease), and pharmacology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cerebroside”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cerebroside”
- Misspelling as 'cerebrosid' or 'cerebrocid'.
- Using as a general term for any brain chemical.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are structural components of cell membranes, particularly in the myelin sheath of nerve cells, providing insulation and facilitating nerve impulse transmission.
No, cerebrosides are specific to animal cell membranes. Plants have related but structurally different glycolipids.
Sphingolipidoses such as Gaucher disease (glucocerebroside accumulation) and Krabbe disease (galactocerebroside metabolism defect).
Cerebrosides are glycolipids containing a sugar and ceramide, whereas phospholipids contain a phosphate group and are more abundant in general cell membranes.
A type of glycolipid molecule found in animal cell membranes, particularly in nervous tissue, consisting of a ceramide linked to a monosaccharide.
Cerebroside is usually technical/medical/biochemical in register.
Cerebroside: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛrɪbrəʊsaɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /səˈriːbrəˌsaɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'cerebrum' (brain) + '-oside' (sugar derivative) = a brain sugar-lipid.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary monosaccharide found in galactocerebroside?