Sterol
/ˈstɛr.oʊl/noun
Any of a class of steroid alcohols found in plants, animals, and fungi.
Did you know?The ending -ol marks it as an alcohol, while the core ster- comes from Greek for “solid,” the same root that helped name steroids and a whole chemical dynasty.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
stereós
“firm, solid, hard”
19th Century
French
stéroïde
“a solid, crystalline substance related to bile and cholesterol”
Early 20th Century
English
sterol
“a sterol, especially a cholesterol-like alcohol”
Modern English
English
sterol
“any steroid alcohol found in living organisms”
Explore more surprising origins