ˈskwāˌlēn noun
( -s )
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary squal- (from New Latin Squalus ) + -ene
: a liquid acyclic triterpene hydrocarbon {(CH 3 ) 2 C = CHCH 2 [CH 2 C(CH 3 ) = CHCH 2 ]− 2 } 2 that is found especially in the liver oil of various sharks but also in various plant oils, in yeast, and in human sebum, that is made synthetically from farnesol, that is formed enzymatically from mevalonic acid, and that is a biological precursor of various cyclic triterpenoids and of cholesterol and related steroids