lecith-, lecitho-, -lecithal +

(Greek: yolk of an egg; a reference to the ovum)

centrolecithal
1. Having the food yolk placed at the center of the ovum, segmentation being either regular or unequal.
2. Having the yolk centrally located; such as, in the ova of arthropods, or a description of an egg with the yolk in the middle.
lecithal
Having a yolk, as certain eggs or ova.
lecithin
1. A yellow phospholipid (any of various compounds composed of fatty acids and phosphoric acid and a nitrogenous base; an important constituent of membranes) essential for the metabolism of fats; found in egg yolk and in many plant and animal cells; used commercially as an emulsifier.
2. Any of a group of phospholipids found in egg yolks and the plasma membrane of plant and animal cells, used as an emulsifier in a wide range of commercial products, including foods, cosmetics, paints, and plastics.
lecithovitellin
A saline extract of egg yolks used in egg-yolk agar to test for bacterial lecithinase.
miolecithal
1. Denoting an egg with little yolk that is uniformly dispersed throughout the egg.
2. Having little or no yolk, as the ova of placental mammals.
oligolecithal
A description of eggs with a small amount of evenly distributed yolk; such as, the eggs of many invertebrates.