ergosterol

noun

er·​gos·​ter·​ol (ˌ)ər-ˈgä-stə-ˌrȯl  -ˌrōl 

: a crystalline steroid alcohol C₂₈H₄₄O that occurs especially in yeast, molds, and ergot and is converted by ultraviolet irradiation ultimately into vitamin D₂

Examples of ergosterol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mushrooms and other fungi can make vitamin D from the sun due to ergosterol, a cholesterol-like substance in cell walls.5 Button mushrooms, often found in retail stores, typically contain less vitamin D than wild mushrooms. —Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 20 June 2025

Other eukaryotes—organisms with complex cells—produce their own sterols, including stigmasterol in plants and ergosterol in fungi. —Bygretchen Vogel, science.org, 7 June 2023

Fluconazole inhibits the growth of yeast by decreasing the production of ergosterol. —Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 7 June 2021

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ergosterol

• artisanal
• autosomal
• azimuthal
• cholesterol
• lysosomal
• microsomal
• mycorrhizal
• neanderthal
• resorcinol
• ribosomal
• salbutamol
• aerosol

Medical Definition

ergosterol

noun

er·​gos·​ter·​ol (ˌ)ər-ˈgäs-tə-ˌrȯl  -ˌrōl 

: a crystalline steroid alcohol C₂₈H₄₄O that occurs especially in yeast, molds, and ergot and is converted by ultraviolet irradiation ultimately into vitamin D₂