androgen

noun

an·​dro·​gen ˈan-drə-jən How to pronounce androgen (audio)
: a male sex hormone (such as testosterone)
androgenic adjective

Examples of androgen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This can cause small cysts to form on the ovaries, which secret androgens, such as testosterone. Corey Whelan, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2024 The cause behind developing multiple penises is generally believed to stem from genetic mutations affecting androgen receptors during development. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 Oct. 2024 However, people with PCOS often have an excess of androgen in their body. Heidi Cope, Health, 10 Oct. 2024 High levels of the hormone androgen may result in excess facial and body hair, which is called hirsutism. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for androgen 

Word History

Etymology

andro- + -gen, after estrogen

Note: The term was apparently introduced in a short article "The Nomenclature of 'Male Hormones'" by the American Medical Society's Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, published in the Journal of the American Medical Society, vol. 107, no. 3 (July 18, 1936), p. 212.

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of androgen was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near androgen

Cite this Entry

“Androgen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/androgen. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

androgen

noun
an·​dro·​gen ˈan-drə-jən How to pronounce androgen (audio)
: a male sex hormone (as testosterone)

Medical Definition

androgen

noun
an·​dro·​gen ˈan-drə-jən How to pronounce androgen (audio)
: a male sex hormone (as testosterone)
androgenic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on androgen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!