: any of various solid steroid alcohols (such as cholesterol) widely distributed in animal and plant lipids
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebChemicals called sterols, from human and animal feces, record how densely populated the area is. K.n. Smith, Ars Technica, 6 Aug. 2017
Word History
Etymology
International Scientific Vocabulary, from -sterol (as in cholesterol)
First Known Use
1913, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
sterol
noun
ste·rol ˈsti(ə)r-ˌȯl ˈste(ə)r-
-ˌōl
: any of various solid steroid alcohols (as cholesterol) widely distributed in animal and plant lipids