cholesterol

IPA/kəˈlestərɒl/
KK[kəlˈɛstɚˌɔl]IPA/kəˈlestərɔːl/

cholesterol — noun

1. a soft, waxy material that the body makes on its own and is also present in food

1.nounC1
Definition

a soft, waxy material that the body makes on its own and is also present in food from animal sources such as egg yolks, meat, and cheese; having an excess of it in the bloodstream can cause deposits to form along artery walls, raising the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke.

Example

Dr. Okafor told Ravi that his cholesterol levels were much higher than the recommended range.

collocation: cholesterol levels + higher than range

The Watanabe family cut back on red meat and butter to help lower their cholesterol.

collocation: lower + cholesterol

Common collocations
  • high cholesterol
  • low cholesterol
  • cholesterol levels
  • cholesterol test
  • cholesterol reading
  • lower cholesterol
  • reduce cholesterol
  • control cholesterol
  • bad cholesterol
  • good cholesterol
  • LDL cholesterol
  • HDL cholesterol
  • cholesterol buildup
  • cholesterol plaque
Synonyms
  • lipid

    broader term; cholesterol is one type of lipid, but 'lipid' also includes triglycerides and phospholipids

  • sterol

    more technical; refers to the specific chemical class cholesterol belongs to, rarely used in everyday speech

Grammar Patterns

cholesterol + is/levels/reading

high/low + cholesterol

Usage Note

Uncountable — do not say 'a cholesterol' or 'cholesterols'. Frequently paired with adjectives 'high' and 'low' to indicate risk level. 'Bad cholesterol' refers to LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and 'good cholesterol' refers to HDL (high-density lipoprotein); these are everyday rather than clinical terms.

Common Mistakes

I have too many cholesterols in my body.
I have too much cholesterol in my body.
cholesterol is an uncountable noun and cannot be pluralised.
Eating fat gives you cholesterol.
Eating foods high in saturated fat can raise your cholesterol levels.
dietary fat and cholesterol are related but not the same thing; the body also produces cholesterol on its own.

Word family

  • cholesterolic
    adjectiveC2
  • hypercholesterolemia
    nounC2
  • hypercholesterolemic
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Cholesterol is a specific type of lipid known as a sterol. It is produced naturally by the liver and is essential for building cell membranes and producing certain hormones. A lipid is the broadest scientific category, covering all fatty compounds in the body, including cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids. Fat, in everyday language, usually refers to dietary triglycerides — the type of fat you find in cooking oil, butter, and animal fat. While eating too much saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol, 'fat' and 'cholesterol' are chemically different and not interchangeable. Triglyceride is the most common form of fat stored in the body; high triglyceride levels are a separate health risk that often accompanies high cholesterol. For example, a doctor might say, 'Your cholesterol is fine, but your triglycerides are too high,' showing that the two are measured and treated independently.

lipid ↗fat ↗triglyceride

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • high cholesterol
  • low cholesterol
  • bad cholesterol
  • good cholesterol
  • LDL cholesterol
  • HDL cholesterol

Prepositions

  • in the blood
  • in the diet
  • in the arteries

Etymology

GreekFrenchEnglish

The word 'cholesterol' was formed in the late 18th century from the Greek 'chole' (bile) and 'stereos' (solid), with the chemical suffix '-ol' (indicating an alcohol). The substance was first identified in hardened gallstones, hence the reference to bile and solidity. The term entered English through French 'cholestérine' in the 1800s before the modern spelling was established.