Definition of "cholesterol" []

• A white crystalline substance, C27H45OH, found in animal tissues and various foods, that is normally synthesized by the liver and is important as a constituent of cell membranes and a precursor to steroid hormones. Its level in the bloodstream can influence the pathogenesis of certain conditions, such as the development of atherosclerotic plaque and coronary artery disease. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The word cholesterol engenders fear across the board."
• "The "good" cholesterol that promotes breakdown and removal of cholesterol from the body."
• "Oh - my cholesterol is down to normal too, yet I eat more eats than I ever did."