Definition

A reddish-yellow pigment found in bile and blood, produced when the body breaks down hemoglobin from old red blood cells. High levels can lead to jaundice, a condition that causes yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Example

The doctor checked the patient's bilirubin levels to see if they were causing the jaundice.

Conversation

I just learned about bilirubin in my biology class.

Oh really? What did you find interesting about it?

It's fascinating how too much bilirubin can cause jaundice.

Yeah, it's amazing how our bodies work, isn't it?

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bilirubin is formed from "bili-" (from Latin "bilis", meaning bile) and "rubin" (from Latin "ruber", meaning red). The word refers to a red pigment found in bile, which is produced during the breakdown of red blood cells.

Memory Tip

Think of 'bile' ('bili-') which is a digestive fluid, and 'red' ('rubin') to remember that bilirubin is a red pigment associated with bile.

Visually Confused Words