squalene

American  

[skwey-leen] / ˈskweɪ lin /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. an oil, C 3 0 H 5 0 , intermediate in the synthesis of cholesterol, obtained for use in manufacturing pharmaceuticals.

---

squalene British  

/ ˈskweɪˌliːn /

noun

1. biochem a terpene first found in the liver of sharks but also present in the livers of most higher animals: an important precursor of cholesterol

---

squalene Scientific  

/ skwā′lēn′ /

1. A colorless, unsaturated hydrocarbon found especially in the liver oil of sharks and in human sebum. It is an intermediate compound in the body's synthesis of cholesterol. Chemical formula: C ₃₀ H ₅₀ .

---

Etymology

Origin of squalene

1925–30; < New Latin Squal ( us ) name of a genus of sharks (the liver of which yields the oil), Latin: a kind of fish + -ene

Example Sentences

Livers make up about a third of sharks’ body weight and are rich in a nutritious oil called squalene, making them highly appealing to orcas, Watson says.

From Scientific American • Apr. 11, 2023

Biossance, a popular skin care line, came out with one last month with moisturizing squalene.

From New York Times • Jul. 22, 2020

They brought with them a whoosh of dust particles from the outside, and also their own personal emissions—lactic acid from sweat, squalene from skin oil, and carbon dioxide.

From The New Yorker • Apr. 1, 2019

“With olive oil and squalene, the emollient properties of this night cream are powerful, providing deep hydration and sealing in moisture.”

From Slate • Dec. 24, 2018

The composition of sebum varies from species to species; in humans, the lipid content consists of about 25% wax monoesters, 41% triglycerides, 16% free fatty acids, and 12% squalene.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015