cholesterol etymology

Etymology and Meaning

The term "cholesterol" is derived from the Greek words:

  • chole (χολή) meaning "bile"
  • stereos (στερεός) meaning "solid"
  • -ol denoting a hydroxyl group (-OH)

Origin

Cholesterol was first isolated from gallstones in 1769 by the French chemist François Poulletier de la Salle. He named the substance "cholesterine," meaning "solid bile."

Additional Information

  • Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all animal cells.
  • It is an essential component of cell membranes, providing stability and fluidity.
  • Cholesterol is also a precursor for the production of various hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
  • Elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood (hypercholesterolemia) can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke.

cholesterol relate terms

  • sterol

    Etymology From ancient Greek στέαρ stear meaning solid fat or tallow Mean

  • cholesterol

    Etymology and Meaning The term cholesterol is derived from the Greek words chole χ

  • Chloe

    Etymology Greek Χλόη Khlóē meaning green shoot or young green plant Mea

  • chloral

    Chloral Etymology and Origin The term chloral is derived from the Greek word chloros

  • chloride

    Etymology The word chloride comes from the Greek chlōros meaning greenish yellow

  • chlorinate

    Etymology Chlorinate comes from the Greek words chloros meaning greenish yellow

  • chlorine

    Etymology The word chlorine comes from the Greek word chloros meaning greenish yell

  • chloroform

    Etymology The word chloroform is derived from three Greek roots Chloros meaning g

  • chlorophyll

    Etymology and Meaning The word chlorophyll is derived from two Greek words Chloros

  • chloroplast

    Etymology The term chloroplast is derived from two Greek words Chloro χλωρός

  • cholecyst

    Etymology Cholecyst derives from two Greek words Chole χολή meaning bile

  • choler

    Etymology Late Latin cholera Greek χολέρα choléra from χολή cholé b

  • cholera

    Etymology Latin cholera from Greek χολή cholē meaning bile Originally referr

  • choleric

    Etymology Latin cholera bile Greek χολή cholḗ bile Meaning A person

  • cholesterol

    Etymology and Meaning The term cholesterol is derived from the Greek words chole χ

  • cholinergic

    Etymology The term cholinergic is derived from the Greek words chole meaning bile

  • Cloris

    Etymology Cloris is a name with Greek etymology derived from the word Khloris meaning

  • gall

    Etymology The word gall has multiple etymologies depending on its specific meaning and

  • gild

    Etymology and Meaning of Gild Etymology The word gild has a complex etymological hi

  • glad

    Etymology The word glad has Germanic origins It is derived from the Proto Germanic ro

  • glance

    Etymology Middle English glauncen from Old French glancier from Gaulish or Late Lat

  • glare

    Etymology The word glare comes from Old English gler which means brightness or s

  • glass

    Etymology of Glass The word glass traces its roots back to several ancient languages

  • glaze

    Etymology The word glaze comes from the Middle English term glasen meaning to cove

  • glazier

    Etymology glazier lt Old French glasier from glas glass from Latin vitrum ier

  • gleam

    Etymology The word gleam comes from the Old English word gleam which is thought to b

  • glee

    Etymology The word glee has several possible etymologies From Middle English glee

  • glib

    Etymology The word glib is derived from Middle English glibben meaning to peel or

  • glide

    Etymology Old English glīdan from Proto Germanic glīdanan from Proto Indo European

  • glimmer

    Etymology Middle English glimeren from Old English glimm e rian of Germanic origin

  • glimpse

    Etymology Old English glimsien meaning to catch a glimpse of Cognate with Old Norse

  • glint

    Etymology Middle English glenten glint of uncertain origin Possible sources include

  • glissade

    Etymology French glisser to slide Old French glissier to slide Vulgar Latin

  • glisten

    Etymology The word glisten is derived from the Old English word glistnian meaning

  • glister

    Etymology The word glister comes from the Old English word glysteran meaning to sh

  • glitch

    Etymology Originally a sudden involuntary movement of a muscle or group of muscles

  • glitter

    Etymology The word glitter derives from the Old Norse word glitra meaning to shine

  • glitzy

    Etymology The word glitzy is derived from the Yiddish word glitsik meaning slipper

  • gloaming

    Etymology Middle English from Old English glōmung glōming of Germanic origin relat

  • gloat

    Etymology The word gloat is derived from the Middle English word gloten which means

  • gloss

    Etymology From Middle English glose from Old French glose from Medieval Latin gl

  • glow

    Etymology The word glow comes from the Middle English word glowe which in turn is d

  • glower

    Etymology The word glower originates from the Middle English glowe which in turn de

  • gold

    Etymology The word gold derives from the Old English word gold which is itself deriv

  • guilder

    Etymology The word guilder is derived from the Dutch word gulden which means golden

  • jaundice

    Etymology The word jaundice is derived from the Old French word jaune meaning yell

  • melancholic

    Etymology The word melancholic comes from the Greek word μελαγχοληκός m

  • melancholy

    Etymology The word melancholy originates from the Greek words melas black and khol

  • yellow

    Etymology The word yellow traces its origins back to the Middle English yelwe which

  • zloty

    Etymology The word zloty zł derives from the Polish word złoty IPA ˈzwɔtɨ

  • ineffable

    Etymology The word ineffable comes from the Latin word ineffabilis which means uns

  • commodity

    Etymology The word commodity is derived from the Latin term commoditas which means

  • fellowship

    Etymology The word fellowship is derived from the Old English word feolaga which me

  • latitude

    Etymology The word latitude comes from the Middle French latitude which in turn der

  • zone

    Etymology The word zone comes from the Greek word zonē meaning girdle or belt

  • concert

    Etymology The word concert comes from the Middle French word concerto which in turn c

  • counterfeit

    Etymology The word counterfeit comes from the Middle English word countrefete which

  • waffle

    Etymology The term waffle comes from the Middle Dutch word wafel meaning honeycomb

  • scale

    Etymology of Scale Proto Indo European skel meaning to cut divide Proto Germani