chole-

1. a combining form meaning “bile,” “gall,” used in the formation of compound words:

   cholesterol.

chole-

combining_form

1. indicating bile or gall

   cholesterol

Word History and Origins

Origin of chole-¹

Combining form of Greek cholḗ bile; akin to chlor- ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of chole-¹

from Greek kholē

Example Sentences

I was excited as well, as Halle and Chole Bailey, actress and singers in thr group Chole x Halle, have grown into America's little sisters.

From Salon

Chole Smith, minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, said the government was providing the £150 because it understood disabled people could face additional costs.

From BBC

As our unrelenting campaigner tours Texas, we also meet characters like Chole Galvan, who fought for investments in public transit in El Paso, and Pablo Gonzales, a civil rights activist who became the first Mexican American mayor of Cotulla in 1970.

From Washington Post

Ever since, I have hosted four cooking shows, making everything from Punjabi chole to Raj kachoris, chaats in waffle cones, even a laborious nalli nihari — all under the hawk eye of the camera.

From Salon

South Dakota got the home crowd into things when they cut it to 43-30 on a Chole Lamb basket midway through the third quarter.

From Seattle Times

Words That Use chole-

What does chole- mean?

Chole- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “bile” or “gall.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in physiology.

Chole- comes from the Greek cholḗ, meaning “bile.” Bile is a yellowish-green liquid secreted by the liver.

What are variants of chole-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, chole- becomes chol–, as in choline. Another variant of chole- is cholo-, as in chololith.

Examples of chole- 

An example of a word you may have encountered that features chole- is cholecyst, the term for the gallbladder in anatomy.

The form chole- can mean either “bile” or “gall,” as we now know. In the case of cholecyst, chole- means “gall.” But what about –cyst? Cyst means “bladder, sac.” So, the word cholecyst literally translates to “gallbladder.”

Another word you may be familiar with that uses chole- is cholesterol, a chemical found in animal tissue—and too much of which can increase the risk of heart disease. It was so named because it was first observed in gallstones. Learn more about cholesterol at our entry for the word.

What are some other words that use the combining form chole-?

• cholelith
• cholemesis
• cholepoiesis
• choleperitoneum
• cholecystitis

What are some other forms that chole– may be commonly confused with?

• chlor-
• col-
• colo-

The Greek root of chole-, cholḗ, is related to another Greek word choléra, which is the source of the English words cholera and choleric. Do you know how choleric came to describe personality traits? Discover why at our Vocab Builder on choleric.

Break it down!

The combining form -lith means “stone.” With this and your knowledge of chole- in mind, what is the pathological term for gallstone?