cholesterol
/kəˈlɛstəɹɒl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.72 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A sterol lipid synthesized by the liver and transported in the bloodstream to the membranes of all animal cells; it plays a central role in many biochemical processes and, as a lipoprotein that coats the walls of blood vessels, is associated with cardiovascular disease.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "improve your cholesterol; lower your cholesterol"
- "As we age, the major arteries of our bodies frequently become thickened with plaque, a fatty material with an oatmeal-like consistency that builds up along the inner lining of blood vessels. The reason plaque forms isn’t entirely known, but it seems to be related to high levels of cholesterol inducing an inflammatory response, which can also attract and trap more cellular debris over time."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- Proto-Hellenic *kʰolā́ Ancient Greek χολή (kholḗ) Proto-Indo-European *ster-der. Ancient Greek στερεός (stereós) French cholestérine French cholestérolbor. English cholesterol Borrowed from French cholestérol.