Spanish word

colesterol

Pronunciation

IPA/kolesteˈɾol/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncholesterol

Example

Mi colesterol está alto.

My cholesterol is high.

Illustration for colesterol (cholesterol)

More examples

Es importante reducir el colesterol con dieta y ejercicio.

It is important to lower cholesterol with diet and exercise.

Core concept

Fatty substance carried in the bloodstream and built into cell membranes.

Common phrases

  • bajar el colesterol

    lower cholesterol

  • el colesterol malo

    bad cholesterol

  • nivel de colesterol

    cholesterol level

Similar words

grasa: Oily substances in food and the body that store energy and form body fat.
triglicérido: Blood fat of three fatty acids linked to glycerol that rises after meals and supplies energy.

Definition in Spanish

Sustancia grasa que circula en la sangre y forma parte de las células; su exceso aumenta el riesgo de enfermedades cardíacas.

Word origin

The Spanish term derives from Greek chole 'bile' and stereos 'solid' plus the chemical suffix -ol, passing into Spanish through French cholestérol.

Usage tips

  • Medical and everyday speech use phrases like 'niveles de colesterol' and 'colesterol alto' and often specify HDL or LDL after the word.

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