calciferol

noun

cal·​cif·​er·​ol kal-ˈsi-fə-ˌrȯl 

-ˌrōl

: an alcohol C₂₈H₄₃OH usually prepared by irradiation of ergosterol and used as a dietary supplement in nutrition and medicinally in the control of rickets and related disorders

called also vitamin D₂

Examples of calciferol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And there's some evidence to back his recommendation up: The NIH says vitamin D—a fat-soluble vitamin known as calciferol and produced naturally by your body—can help strengthen bones, reduce inflammation, and help with immune function. —Amber Brenza, Health.com, 5 Oct. 2020

Backing up a second here: Vitamin D, aka calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s naturally present in a few foods, like fatty fish, beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks, per the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (NIH). —Korin Miller, Health.com, 14 Sep. 2020

Word History

Etymology

calciferous + ergosterol

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

calciferol

noun

cal·​cif·​er·​ol kal-ˈsif-ə-ˌrȯl 

-ˌrōl

: a vitamin D that is sometimes added to human and animal diets and is used in medicine to treat rickets and related disorders

Medical Definition

calciferol

noun

cal·​cif·​er·​ol kal-ˈsif-ə-ˌrȯl, -ˌrōl 

: an alcohol C₂₈H₄₃OH usually prepared by irradiation of ergosterol and used as a dietary supplement in nutrition and medicinally especially in the control of rickets

called also ergocalciferol, viosterol, vitamin D, vitamin D₂

see drisdol