chlorophyll

chlo·ro·phyll also chlo·ro·phyl  (klôr-fl, klr-)

n.

Any of a group of green pigments that are found in the chloroplasts of plants and in other photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria, especially:

a. A waxy blue-black microcrystalline green-plant pigment, C₅₅H₇₂MgN₄O₅, with a characteristic blue-green alcohol solution. Also called chlorophyll a.

b. A similar green-plant pigment, C₅₅H₇₀MgN₄O₆, having a brilliant green alcohol solution. Also called chlorophyll b.

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chloro·phyllous adj.

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chlorophyll US, chlorophyl [ˈklɔːrəfɪl]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany) the green pigment of plants and photosynthetic algae and bacteria that traps the energy of sunlight for photosynthesis and exists in several forms, the most abundant being chlorophyll a (C₅₅H₇₂O₅N₄Mg): used as a colouring agent in medicines or food (E140)

chlorophylloid  adj

chlorophyllous  adj

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chlorophyll  (klôr-fl)

Any of several green pigments found in photosynthetic organisms, such as plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. At its molecular core, chlorophyll has a porphyrin structure but contains a magnesium atom at its center and a long carbon side chain. Chlorophyll absorbs red and blue wavelengths of light, but reflects green. When it absorbs light energy, a chlorophyll molecule enters a higher energy state in which it easily gives up an electron to the first available electron-accepting molecule nearby. This electron moves through a chain of acceptors and is ultimately used in the synthesis of ATP, which provides chemical energy for plant metabolism. Plants rely on two forms of chlorophyll, chlorophyll a (C₆₆H₇₂MgN₄O₅) and chlorophyll b (C₆₆H₇₀MgN₄O₆), which have slightly different light absorbing properties. All plants, algae, and cyanobacteria have chlorophyll a, since only this compound can pass an electron to acceptors in oxygen-producing photosynthetic reactions. Chlorophyll b absorbs light energy that is then transferred to chlorophyll a. Several protist groups such as brown algae and diatoms lack chlorophyll b but have another pigment, chlorophyll c, instead. Other closely related pigments are used by various bacteria in photosynthetic reactions that do not produce oxygen. See more at photosynthesis.

Word History From its name, one might think that chlorophyll has chlorine in it, but it doesn't. The chloro- of chlorophyll comes from the Greek word for "green"; chlorophyll in fact is the chemical compound that gives green plants their characteristic color. The name of the chemical element chlorine comes from the same root as the prefix chloro-, and is so called because it is a greenish-colored gas.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

chlorophyll - any of a group of green pigments found in photosynthetic organisms; there are four naturally occurring forms chlorophyl chlorophyll a - a blue-black plant pigment having a blue-green alcohol solution; found in all higher plants chlorophyll b - a dark-green plant pigment having a brilliant green alcohol solution; generally characteristic of higher plants chlorofucin, chlorophyll c - the chlorophyll present in brown algae, diatoms, and flagellates chlorophyll d - the chlorophyll found (together with chlorophyll a) in red algae pigment - dry coloring material (especially a powder to be mixed with a liquid to produce paint, etc.)

Translations

chlorophyll [ˈklɒrəfɪl] N → clorofila f

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chlorophyll [ˈklɒrəfɪl] n → chlorophylle f
choc-ice choc ice [ˈtʃɒkaɪs] (British) n → crème glacée f au chocolat

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chlorophyll

n → Chlorophyll nt

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chlorophyll [ˈklɒrəfɪl] n (Bot) → clorofilla

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chlorophyll [ˈklɒrəfɪl] n (Bot) → clorofilla

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chlorophyll

n chlorophyll [ˈklorəfil]

the colouring matter of the green parts of plants. chlorofil مادَّة اليَخْضور хлорофил chlorofyl klorofyl das Chlorophyll χλωροφύλλη clorofila klorofüll سبزینه؛ کلروفیل lehtivihreä chlorophylle כְלוֹרוֹפּיל पर्णहरित klorofil klorofill klorofil blaðgræna clorofilla 葉緑素 염록소 chlorofilas hlorofils klorofil bladgroen bladgrønt, klorofyll chlorofil clorofila clorofilă хлорофилл chlorofyl klorofil hlorofil klorofyll คลอโรฟีลล์ klorofil 葉綠素 хлорофіл پتوں مین پایا جانے والا سبز مادہ chất diệp lục 叶绿素