cholesterol

noun

cho·les·ter·ol | \ kə-ˈle-stə-ˌrōl

, -ˌrȯl\

Definition of cholesterol

: a steroid alcohol C₂₇H₄₅OH that is present in animal cells and body fluids, regulates membrane fluidity, and functions as a precursor molecule in various metabolic pathways and as a constituent of LDL may cause atherosclerosis — compare bad cholesterol, good cholesterol

Examples of cholesterol in a Sentence

Did your doctor check your cholesterol?

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition, there are medications to lower blood pressure and cholesterol that are relatively inexpensive. — Abigail Higgins, Vox, "Heart disease used to be an ailment of the rich. But it’s now striking the world’s poor.," 15 Oct. 2018 For Pfizer, those drugs include Viagra, blood pressure pill Norvasc and high-cholesterol pill Lipitor, which had reigned as the world’s top-selling drug for nearly a decade. — Linda A. Johnson, The Seattle Times, "Drugmaker Pfizer’s CEO Read to be replaced by COO Bourla," 1 Oct. 2018 The active compound in turmeric, called curcumin, is an anti-oxidant that is an anti-inflammatory and may be effective in fighting everything from high cholesterol to cancer. — Doug Williams, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Turmeric: superfood or superhype," 25 June 2018 When other factors like smoking, abnormal blood pressure or cholesterol were removed, the risk dropped — but only slightly. — Scott Berson, miamiherald, "Erectile dysfunction isn't just about sex. It could be a major sign of heart disease, study says," 11 June 2018 The results held true even after accounting for other health and lifestyle factors that could influence stroke risk, such as high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes, according to the study. — Jamie Ducharme, Time, "Here's Another Reason Saunas Are So Good For You," 2 May 2018 Blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, insulin and other biomarkers fell, possibly lowering their risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. — Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, "Not So Fast," 24 Sep. 2018 Just as drugs help lower cholesterol or blood pressure, advertising helps raise patients with symptoms to get off their chairs and go see a doctor. — WSJ, "Cancer Hospital Advertising Offers Real Hope," 1 May 2018 Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, which can help to lower cholesterol. — Amanda Pressner, Seventeen, "6 Yummy Summer Smoothies!," 5 Mar. 2011

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cholesterol.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

9 Mar 2019

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Time Traveler for cholesterol

The first known use of cholesterol was in 1894

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More Definitions for cholesterol

cholesterol

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cholesterol

: a substance that is found in the bodies of people and animals

See the full definition for cholesterol in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cholesterol

noun

cho·les·ter·ol | \ kə-ˈles-tə-ˌrōl, -ˌrȯl

Medical Definition of cholesterol

: a steroid alcohol C₂₇H₄₅OH that is present in animal cells and body fluids, regulates membrane fluidity, functions as a precursor molecule in various metabolic pathways, and as a constituent of LDL may cause atherosclerosis Cholesterol is a lipid present in the cell membrane and subcellular organelles of tissues throughout the body. … In addition, cholesterol serves as the building block for all steroid hormones including cortisol, aldosterone, estrogen, and testosterone.— Sarah de Ferranti and David S. Ludwig, The New England Journal of Medicine, 25 Sept. 2008 … the drug reduces the production of cholesterol in the liver, decreasing the amount of artery-clogging cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream. — Newsweek, 8 Dec. 1986