noun

cholesterol

kuh-LEHS-tuh-rol

noun

A fat-like substance made by the liver and carried in the blood, needed by cells but linked to heart disease at high levels.

"Her doctor advised her to eat less fried food to lower her cholesterol."

"High cholesterol can increase the risk of heart attacks over time."

How to Use Cholesterol

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA substance in the blood that the body needs in moderation but which causes health problems in excess.

Common pairings

high cholesterol lower cholesterol cholesterol levels

cholesterols plural

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Her doctor advised her to eat less fried food to lower her _____.

Borrowed from French cholestérol, built from Greek kholē ("bile") and stereos ("solid") — first identified in gallstones.

Demerol