Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cholesterol” come from?

Cholesterol comes from French cholestérol, derived from French cholesterine, which combines Ancient Greek χολή (bile) and Proto-Hellenic kʰolā́, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃-.

cholesterol (English): A sterol lipid synthesized by the liver and...

Definitions

  1. A sterol lipid synthesized by the liver and...

Ancestry of “cholesterol”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcholestérolcholesterol
2Frenchcholesterinecholesterol; Dated form of cholestérol
3Ancient Greekχολήgall, bile; gall bladder; bitterness, wrath,...
4Proto-Hellenickʰolā́gall, bile
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰolh₃-éh₂—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰelh₃-to flourish; green, yellow

Words derived from “cholesterol”

  • hypercholesterolemia
  • dehydrocholesterol
  • hydroxycholesterol
  • anticholesterol
  • hypocholesterolemia
  • cholesterolemia
  • cholesterolosis
  • ketocholesterol
  • cholesterolemic
  • epoxycholesterol
  • noncholesterol
  • hypocholesterolaemia
  • iodocholesterol
  • anticholesterolemic
  • oxocholesterol
  • chlorocholesterol
  • bromocholesterol
  • cholesterol
  • 콜레스테롤
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃- →