cholesterol
Americannoun
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a sterol, C 27 H 46 O, 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.
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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.
noun
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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 D 2, 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: C 27 H 46 O.
Etymology
Origin of cholesterol
First recorded in 1890–95; chole- + Greek ster(eós) “solid” ( stereo- ) + -ol 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Levels of cholesterol and glycogen varied across regions, with the most dramatic contrasts appearing in areas responsible for memory, particularly the hippocampus and cortex.
From Science Daily
High cholesterol levels are expected to decline across nearly all groups of women.
From Science Daily
The newly identified molecules belong to a group called steranes, which are stable remnants of sterols such as cholesterol that form part of the cell membranes of complex life.
From Science Daily
The cholesterol lowering effects were still visible six weeks after the two day intervention.
From Science Daily
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and diabetes are leading contributors of stroke, and 1 in 3 U.S. adults has at least one of these conditions or risk factors, according to the CDC.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
