cholesterol

[ kuh-les-tuh-rohl, -rawl ]

/ kəˈlɛs təˌroʊl, -ˌrɔl /

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noun Biochemistry.

a sterol, C27H46O, that occurs in all animal tissues, especially in the brain, spinal cord, and adipose tissue, functioning chiefly as a protective agent in the skin and myelin sheaths of nerve cells, a detoxifier in the bloodstream, and as a precursor of many steroids: deposits of cholesterol form in certain pathological conditions, as gallstones and atherosclerotic plaques.

the commercial form of this compound, obtained from the spinal cord of cattle, used chiefly as an emulsifying agent in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and in the synthesis of vitamin D.

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Also cho·les·ter·in

[kuh-les-ter-in]. /kəˈlɛs tər ɪn/.

Origin of cholesterol

1890–95; chole- + Greek ster(eós) solid + -ol¹

Words nearby cholesterol

cholera infantum, choleric, cholestasis, cholesteremia, cholesteric, cholesterol, cholesterolaemia, cholesterolemia, Chol Hamoed, choli, choliambus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cholesterol in a sentence

Others are a softer mix of cholesterol, fats, calcium, and other substances, and these mixed plaques are more dangerous and likely to rupture.
There’s New Evidence on Heart Health in Endurance Athletes|mmirhashem|August 7, 2021|Outside Online
Statin drugs are commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol, and they may help improve coronavirus outcomes in patients who had been taking them prior to hospitalization, according to a new study published in the journal Plos One.
COVID cases are plaguing the Olympics even before they’ve begun|Lauren Leffer|July 19, 2021|Popular-Science
More than one in three American adults have high cholesterol, which can lead to serious health problems like heart disease and stroke.
One CRISPR Treatment Lowered Cholesterol in Monkeys by 60 Percent|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|May 26, 2021|Singularity Hub
I set aside a small amount of the sauce before adding the shrimp for my sister who is watching her cholesterol.
Six Recipes That Got Us Through Another Week|Eater Staff|March 19, 2021|Eater

Bile is in fact produced by the liver from cholesterol and then stored in the gallbladder.
Your liver does more than you give it credit for|By Marie-Pierre Hasne/The Conversation|March 17, 2021|Popular-Science
Or should you swear it off in the name of better cholesterol?
Bulletproof Coffee and the Case for Butter as a Health Food|DailyBurn|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What happens when someone with an eating disorder history is diagnosed with high cholesterol?
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At 96 percent water, cukes have no saturated fat or cholesterol, and are very high in vitamin K, vitamin B6 and iron.
10 Ways to Stay Hydrated (That Aren’t Water)|DailyBurn|July 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And at the end of the study there was no difference in the LDL-cholesterol levels between the two groups!
The AHA’s Absurd Saturated Fat Obsession|Dr. Barbara H. Roberts|June 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, half of the people who have cardiac events have “ideal” levels of LDL cholesterol.
The AHA’s Absurd Saturated Fat Obsession|Dr. Barbara H. Roberts|June 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cholesterol was a little below normal in the four cases examined.
Scurvy Past and Present|Alfred Fabian Hess
Cholesterol is frequently found in animal fats, and phytosterol is a very similar substance present in vegetable fats.
The Handbook of Soap Manufacture|W. H. Simmons
The cholesterol in linseed or fish oil, which of course may be present in the soap, also give this reaction.
Soap-Making Manual|E. G. Thomssen

British Dictionary definitions for cholesterol

cholesterol

/ (kəˈlɛstəˌrɒl) /

noun

a sterol found in all animal tissues, blood, bile, and animal fats: a precursor of other body steroids. A high level of cholesterol in the blood is implicated in some cases of atherosclerosis, leading to heart disease. Formula: C 27 H 45 OHFormer name: cholesterin (kəˈlɛstərɪn)

Word Origin for cholesterol

C19: from chole- + Greek stereos hard, solid, so called because first observed in gallstones

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for cholesterol

cholesterol

[ kə-lĕs′tə-rôl′ ]

A sterol found widely in animal and plant tissues. It is a main component of blood plasma and cell membranes, and it is an important precursor of many steroid hormones (such as the estrogens, testosterone, and cortisol), vitamin D2, and bile acids. In vertebrates, cholesterol is manufactured by the liver or absorbed from food in the intestine. Higher than normal amounts of cholesterol in the blood are associated with higher risk for developing coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis. Chemical formula: C27H46O. See also high-density lipoprotein low-density lipoprotein.

Cultural definitions for cholesterol

cholesterol

[ (kuh-les-tuh-rawl, kuh-les-tuh-rohl) ]

A white soapy substance found in the tissues of the body and in certain foods, such as animal fats, oils, and egg yolks. Cholesterol has been linked to heart disease and atherosclerosis. (It collects on the walls of arteries and interferes with the flow of blood.) High levels of cholesterol in the blood are considered to be unhealthy. (See saturated fats, HDL, and LDL.)