sterol
[ steer-awl, -ol, ster- ]
/ ˈstɪər ɔl, -ɒl, ˈstɛr- /
noun Biochemistry.
any of a group of solid, mostly unsaturated, polycyclic alcohols, as cholesterol and ergosterol, derived from plants or animals.
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Origin of sterol
1910–15; extracted from such words as cholesterol, ergosterol, etc.
Words nearby sterol
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for sterol
sterol
/ (ˈstɛrɒl) /
noun
biochem any of a group of natural steroid alcohols, such as cholesterol and ergosterol, that are waxy insoluble substances
Word Origin for sterol
C20: shortened from cholesterol, ergosterol, etc
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Medical definitions for sterol
sterol
[ stĕr′ôl′, -ōl′, stîr′- ]
n.
Any of a group of predominantly unsaturated solid alcohols of the steroid group, such as cholesterol and ergosterol, present in the fatty tissues of plants and animals.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for sterol
sterol
[ stîr′ôl′ ]
Any of various alcohols having the structure of a steroid, usually with a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to the third carbon atom. Sterols are found in the tissues of animals, plants, fungi, and yeasts and include cholesterol.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.