1. The quality or degree to which a chemical substance is attracted to or dissolves readily in lipids (fats) or nonpolar solvents; the tendency of a molecule to be lipid-soluble.
Usage: technical; chemistry; pharmacology

Examples

• The lipophilicity of a drug determines how easily it can cross cell membranes.
• Compounds with high lipophilicity tend to accumulate in fatty tissues.
• Researchers measure lipophilicity using the partition coefficient between oil and water.
• The lipophilicity of a molecule affects its absorption and distribution in the body.
• Increasing lipophilicity can improve a drug's ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier.