dehydrocholesterol

UK[diːhaɪdɹəˌkəˈlɛstəɹɒɫ]

noun

A sterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol, found in the skin, that, on exposure to light, is converted into vitamin D

OriginEnglish cholesterol ← Latin dē- ← Proto-Italic *dē →
Scrabble 31
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Meanings

noundehydrocholesterol (countable and uncountable, plural dehydrocholesterols)

plural dehydrocholesterols

  1. countableuncountablechemistryA sterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol, found in the skin, that, on exposure to light, is converted into vitamin D

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Englishhydro-
  8. Englishdehydro-
  9. Englishcholesterol
  10. Englishdehydrocholesterol

From dehydro- + cholesterol.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

dehydrocholesterol. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dehydrocholesterol

MLA

“dehydrocholesterol.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dehydrocholesterol. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dehydrocholesterol,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dehydrocholesterol.

Source: dehydrocholesterol on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.