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steroid

[ steer-oid, ster- ]

noun

  1. any of a large group of fat-soluble organic compounds, as the sterols, bile acids, and sex hormones, most of which have specific physiological action.


adjective

  1. Also ste·roi·dal [] pertaining to or characteristic of a steroid.

steroid

/ ˈstɛr-; ˈstɪərɔɪd /

noun

  1. biochem any of a large group of fat-soluble organic compounds containing a characteristic chemical ring system. The majority, including the sterols, bile acids, many hormones, and the D vitamins, have important physiological action
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


steroid

/ stĕroid′ /

  1. Any of a large class of organic compounds having as a basis 17 carbon atoms arranged in four rings fused together. Steroids include many biologically important compounds, including cholesterol and other sterols, the sex hormones (such as testosterone and estrogen), bile acids, adrenal hormones, plant alkaloids, and certain forms of vitamins.
  2. Any of various hormones having the structure of a steroid that are made synthetically, especially for use in medicine.
  3. An anabolic steroid.


steroid

  1. A group of molecules that includes cholesterol . The sex hormones estrogen and testosterone are built from steroids, as are many modern anti-inflammatory drugs.


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Notes

Steroids are often used illegally to increase the performance of competitive athletes of almost all age groups. They are banned in many athletic competitions, such as the Olympic Games .
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Derived Forms

  • steˈroidal, adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of steroid1

First recorded in 1925–30; ster(ol) + -oid
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Word History and Origins

Origin of steroid1

C20: from sterol + -oid
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. on steroids, Slang. much larger, stronger, or more extreme than is normal or expected:

    Yosemite is nature on steroids. He's so lovable, he's like Santa Claus on steroids.

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Example Sentences

By that point, new treatments had been discovered, including the cheap steroid dexamethasone, and the first Covid vaccines were starting to be rolled out in small numbers.

From BBC

She and Grossman predicted that the impact will also manifest as it has with the rollback in abortion rights but "on steroids."

From Salon

"They're put on a steroid which completely changes their personality and the way that they look and I don't think we were quite prepared for all that."

From BBC

He is the first ex-Dodger to be given that honor after being suspended for 50 games for using steroids in the form of a women’s fertility drug.

Having trained as a pharmacist, the British-Nigerian, who said she was a "scientist thorough and through", could not justifying giving him steroids so decided to look for an alternative, natural solution.

From BBC

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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