DictionaryRoot: stereos
Greek
stereos
solid, stiff
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noun
cholesterol
kuh-LES-ter-awl/kəˈlestərɔːl/
A waxy, fatlike substance in blood and animal tissues.
Etymology
The “bile” and “solid” components recall cholesterol’s discovery in gallstones, rather than its presence throughout the body. The ending -ol identifies it chemically as an alcohol.