leukotriene: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “leukotriene” mean?
A type of inflammatory signaling molecule derived from arachidonic acid, involved in immune responses and allergic reactions.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of inflammatory signaling molecule derived from arachidonic acid, involved in immune responses and allergic reactions.
Biologically active lipid compounds that act as potent mediators of inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and hypersensitivity reactions. They are produced by leukocytes and play key roles in diseases like asthma, arthritis, and some cancers.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage or spelling. Both varieties use the same term identically in technical contexts.
Connotations
Purely scientific; carries no regional connotations.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialised in both UK and US English, confined to medical, biochemical, and pharmacological discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “leukotriene” in a Sentence
Inhibit/BLOCK/antagonise + leukotriene + receptor/synthesisLeukotriene + is/are + produced/released/involved + inThe + leukotriene + pathway/actionVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “leukotriene” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The enzyme 5-lipoxygenase leukotrienes arachidonic acid.
- The drug aims to leukotriene the inflammatory pathway.
American English
- The enzyme 5-lipoxygenase leukotrienes arachidonic acid.
- The therapy is designed to leukotriene the response.
adjective
British English
- The leukotriene pathway is a key therapeutic target.
- We observed a leukotriene-mediated effect.
American English
- The leukotriene pathway is a major therapeutic target.
- The response was leukotriene-dependent.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used, except potentially in highly specific pharmaceutical or biotech investment reports.
Academic
Common in medical, biological, and pharmacological research papers, textbooks, and lectures.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Only encountered by patients prescribed related medications (e.g., montelukast).
Technical
The primary domain. Used precisely in immunology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical medicine discussions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “leukotriene”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “leukotriene”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “leukotriene”
- Misspelling as 'leucotriene' (though 'leuko-' is standard).
- Mispronouncing the 'triene' part as /triːn/ instead of /ˈtraɪiːn/.
- Using it as a general term for any inflammatory substance.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a type of chemical signal released by your immune system that causes inflammation, swelling, and tightening of airways, especially during allergic reactions and asthma attacks.
Yes, montelukast (brand name Singulair) is a well-known 'leukotriene receptor antagonist' used to prevent asthma and allergy symptoms.
It comes from 'leukocyte' (white blood cell, where they were first discovered) and 'triene' (referring to the three conjugate double bonds in their chemical structure).
It's very unlikely. You might see it on the information leaflet for certain prescription medications or in advanced health articles, but it is not part of general vocabulary.
Leukotriene is usually technical/scientific in register.
Leukotriene: in British English it is pronounced /ˌluːkə(ʊ)ˈtraɪiːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌluːkoʊˈtraɪiːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: LEUKOcyte + TRIENE (refers to its chemical structure with three conjugated double bonds). It's an inflammatory molecule FROM white blood cells.
Conceptual Metaphor
INFLAMMATION IS A CHEMICAL MESSAGE; leukotrienes are the 'urgent memos' or 'alarm signals' sent by immune cells.
Practice
Quiz
Leukotrienes are primarily involved in which biological process?