squalene
[ skwey-leen ]
/ ˈskweɪ lin /
noun Biochemistry.
an oil, C30H50, intermediate in the synthesis of cholesterol, obtained for use in manufacturing pharmaceuticals.
Origin of squalene
1925–30; < New Latin
Squal(us) name of a genus of sharks (the liver of which yields the oil), Latin: a kind of fish +
-ene
Words nearby squalene
squaddie,
squadoosh,
squadron,
squadron leader,
squadsman,
squalene,
squalid,
squall,
squall line,
squally,
squalor
British Dictionary definitions for squalene
squalene
/ (ˈskweɪˌliːn) /
noun
biochem
a terpene first found in the liver of sharks but also present in the livers of most higher animals: an important precursor of cholesterol
Word Origin for squalene
C20: from New Latin
squalus genus name of the shark
Scientific definitions for squalene
squalene
[ skwā′lēn′ ]
A colorless, unsaturated hydrocarbon found especially in the liver oil of sharks and in human sebum. It is an intermediate compound in the body's synthesis of cholesterol. Chemical formula: C30H50.