4 syllables: Chol, es, ter, ol. Stress on es.
kuh-LES-tur-awl
/kəˈlɛstɚˌɔl/
Cholesterol is pronounced kuh-LES-tur-awl (/kəˈlɛstɚˌɔl/). It has four syllables (Chol-es-ter-ol), with the stress on "es". Cholesterol is a type of lipid carried in the blood, essential in small amounts but harmful at high levels. It functions in cell membranes and hormone production, but excessive cholesterol can contribute to cardiovascular disease. The term is used in medical and nutrition contexts and is commonly discussed in relation to diet, statins, and heart health.
nounCholesterol is a type of lipid carried in the blood, essential in small amounts but harmful at high levels. It functions in cell membranes and hormone production, but excessive cholesterol can contribute to cardiovascular disease. The term is used in medical and nutrition contexts and is commonly discussed in relation to diet, statins, and heart health.
How to Pronounce Cholesterol
"The doctor ordered a cholesterol test to assess her cardiovascular risk."
"High LDL cholesterol can contribute to atherosclerosis over time."
"Some foods are fortified with cholesterol-lowering fibers or plant sterols."
Cholesterol is pronounced koh-LES-tuh-rawl in US English, with the main stress on the second syllable. In IPA: US /kəˈlɛs.tər.ɒl/. UK pronunciation is /kəˈles.tə.rɒl/ with a slightly crisper second syllable and a more pronounced final /ɒl/. Australian often aligns with UK patterns but may feature a more relaxed final syllable. Try to clearly voice the /ˈlɛs/ or /ˈles/ and keep the /t/ crisp between syllables.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress and mispronouncing the middle syllable as /oʊ/ or /oʊl/ instead of /tər/ or /tə/. Another error is softening the final -ol to a schwa; actually the ending often lands on a clear /ɒl/ or /əl/. To correct, hold the /ˈlɛs/ portion for emphasis, then land the /tər/ quickly, and finish with the pure /ɒl/ or a light /əl/ depending on accent.
In US English, you’ll hear /kəˈlɛs.təˌroʊl/ with a rhotacized or near-rhotic ending and a strong /ˈlɛs/; the final /roʊl/ often reduces to /rəʊl/ in British. UK tends toward /kəˈles.tə.rɒl/, with a shorter final vowel and non-rhoticity influencing the ending. Australian tends to mirror UK but with vowel quality that’s slightly more centralized; final /ɒl/ can be broader and less tense. The middle syllable is typically stressed in all varieties, but the exact vowel height and rhoticity differ.
The word combines a tricky cluster around -les- and -ter-, plus a final -ol that can drift to -oʊl or -ɒl depending on accent. The stress is mid-word, which can surprise learners who expect a stronger initial stress. Additionally, the transition from /kə/ to /ˈlɛs/ requires a quick, precise tongue movement, and the trailing /-rɒl/ or /-rəʊl/ can be muffled if you’re not keeping the jaw open, leading to a slurred ending.
Cholesterol has no silent letters in standard pronunciation. All letters contribute to the spoken form, though some consonants—especially /t/ and /r/ in many accents—may be lightly pronounced or assimilated, which can make parts of the word sound quicker. The key is to clearly enunciate the syllables: /kəˈlɛs.tər.ɒl/ (US) and its close variants, keeping the /t/ intermittent with the /ər/ sequence.
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Cholesterol derives from the French cholestérol, formed from the Greek chole- (bile) and the combining form -stér- from stereos (solid) or from the older French cholésterol. The first element chole- refers to bile, reflecting early hypotheses about its origin in bile. The suffix -erol is from the chemical suffix for alcohols, paralleling the naming of sterol compounds; cholesterol is a sterol, a steroid alcohol. The term appears in English in the late 19th to early 20th century as scientists identified cholesterol as a distinct lipid molecule. Over time, cholesterol came to denote the specific molecule 3β-hydroxy-5-cholest-7-en- cholesterol structure with a hydroxyl group at C3 and the fused ring system characteristic of sterols. In medicine and nutrition, the word evolved from general lipid discussions to a precise clinical biomarker, central to discussions of cardiovascular risk, statins, diet, and metabolic health. The first known uses are tied to chemical characterization and to the broader study of sterols, with “cholesterin” appearing in German sources as an older equivalent before standardizing to “cholesterol” in English-language literature.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Cholesterol" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Cholesterol"
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