How to pronounce cholesterol
Say it like kuh-LES-tuh-rawl. Cholesterol has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cholesterol. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- kuh
- LES
- tuh
- rawl
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cholesterol pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- rawlGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of cholesterol
American and British speakers say cholesterol in essentially the same way: /kəˈlɛstəˌrɔl/ in the US and /kəˈlɛstəˌrɒl/ in the UK.
British respelling: kuh-LES-tuh-rol.
What does cholesterol mean?
- an animal sterol that is normally synthesized by the liver; the most abundant steroid in animal tissues
Where does cholesterol come from?
Borrowed from French cholestérol.
Questions about saying cholesterol
How do you pronounce cholesterol?
Say kuh-LES-tuh-rawl. The American pronunciation is /kəˈlɛstəˌrɔl/. In British English it is /kəˈlɛstəˌrɒl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cholesterol?
Cholesterol has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LES). Broken into parts: kuh · LES · tuh · rawl.
Do Americans and Brits say cholesterol the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kəˈlɛstəˌrɔl/ and the British form is /kəˈlɛstəˌrɒl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.