polyphenol

noun

poly·​phe·​nol ˌpä-lē-ˈfē-ˌnōl 

-fi-ˈnōl

: a polyhydroxy phenol

especially : an antioxidant phytochemical

polyphenolic

ˌpä-lē-fi-ˈnō-lik  -ˈnä- 

adjective

Examples of polyphenol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rich in polyphenols—plant compounds that help your cells respond better to insulin, the hormone that moves sugar from your blood into cells. —Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2025

Overall, Stefanski notes that coffee is a rich source of polyphenols, which are a group of plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. —Laura Schober, Health, 23 Oct. 2025

Other delicious detoxers are the anthocyanidins in berries, grapes and beets, polyphenols in green tea and resveratrol in red wine. —Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025

Not all commercial green tea products meet the same quality standards that were used in the laboratory-grade extract, and dosage, bioavailability and polyphenol content can vary widely between preparations. —New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

polyphenol

noun

poly·​phe·​nol ˌpäl-i-ˈfē-ˌnōl, -ˌnȯl, -fi-ˈ 

: a polyhydroxy phenol

especially : an antioxidant phytochemical (as chlorogenic acid) that tends to prevent or neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals

polyphenolic

-fi-ˈnō-lik  -ˈnäl-ik 

adjective