Word
cholesterol
Phoneticscholes·terol
US/kəˈɫɛstɝˌɔɫ/
UK/kəlˈɛstəɹˌɒl/
Definitions
01the biological substance
n. a fatty substance that your body makes and uses to build cells.
n. a sterol lipid synthesized by the liver that is a structural component of animal cell membranes and a precursor for steroid hormones.
“The body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to build healthy cells.”
“Cholesterol plays a vital role in maintaining the fluidity of the plasma membrane across a range of physiological temperatures.”
Technical
Synonyms
02the medical measurement
n. the amount of this fatty substance in your blood, often checked by a doctor.
n. the concentration of various lipoproteins in the blood, typically measured to assess the risk of heart disease.
“He changed his diet because his doctor said his cholesterol was too high.”
“Regular blood tests are necessary to monitor her cholesterol, especially since she has a family history of cardiovascular issues.”
Usage
Often used uncountably when referring to the general health marker.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“But it is largely preventable through a healthy lifestyle -- including regular physical activity, a heart-healthy diet, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.” “It includes three behavioral factors (healthy diet, non-smoking, and physical activity) and four health factors (blood pressure, body mass index, total cholesterol and fasting blood glucose).” Etymology
Borrowed from French cholestérol.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/cholesterol