noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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rhymes with -ɔɪd
/ˈstɛɹɔɪd/
/ˈstɪəɹɔɪd/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S T ER0 OY1 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A class of organic compounds having a structure of seventeen carbon atoms arranged in four rings; they are lipids, and occur naturally as sterols, bile acids, adrenal and sex hormones, and some vitamins; many drugs are synthetic steroids.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵhelh3- Proto-Hellenic *kholā́ Ancient Greek χολή (kholḗ) Proto-Indo-European *ster-der. Ancient Greek στερεός (stereós) French cholestérine French cholestérolbor. English cholesterol English sterol Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o- Proto-Indo-European *weyd- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *wéydos Proto-Hellenic *wéidos Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ēs Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs) Ancient Greek -ειδής (-eidḗs) Latin -oīdēslbor. English -oid English steroid From sterol + -oid.
Across languages
Translations
34 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
esteroide
— class of organic compounds
Chinese Cantonese:
類固醇 /类固醇
(leoi6 gu3 seon4)
— class of organic compounds
Chinese Cantonese:
甾
(zoi1)
— class of organic compounds
Chinese Mandarin:
類固醇 /类固醇
(lèigùchún)
— class of organic compounds
Chinese Mandarin:
甾
(zāi)
— class of organic compounds
Chinese Mandarin:
甾體 /甾体
(zāitǐ)
— class of organic compounds
Czech:
steroid
— class of organic compounds
Finnish:
steroidi
— class of organic compounds
French:
stéroïde
— class of organic compounds
German:
Steroid
— class of organic compounds
Greek:
στεροειδές
(steroeidés)
— class of organic compounds
Hindi:
सांद्राभ
(sāndrābh)
— class of organic compounds
Hungarian:
szteroid
— class of organic compounds
Icelandic:
steri
— class of organic compounds
Irish:
stéaróideach
— class of organic compounds
Italian:
steroide
— class of organic compounds
Japanese:
ステロイド
(suteroido)
— class of organic compounds
Kazakh:
стероид
(steroid)
— class of organic compounds
Khmer:
ស្តេរ៉ូអ៊ីត
(steerouʼiit)
— class of organic compounds
Korean:
스테로이드
(seuteroideu)
— class of organic compounds
Kyrgyz:
стероид
(steroid)
— class of organic compounds
Māori:
pūtaiaki
— class of organic compounds
Persian:
استروئید
(estero'id)
— class of organic compounds
Polish:
steryd
— class of organic compounds
Polish:
steroid
— class of organic compounds
Portuguese:
esteroide
— class of organic compounds
Romanian:
steroid
— class of organic compounds
Russian:
стеро́ид
(steróid)
— class of organic compounds
Spanish:
esteroide
— class of organic compounds
Swedish:
steroid
— class of organic compounds
Turkish:
steroid
— class of organic compounds
Ukrainian:
стеро́їд
(sterójid)
— class of organic compounds
