hormone

noun

hor·​mone ˈhȯr-ˌmōn How to pronounce hormone (audio)
1
: a product of living cells that circulates in body fluids (such as blood) or sap and produces a specific often stimulatory effect on the activity of cells usually remote from its point of origin
also : a synthetic substance that acts like a hormone
2
hormonelike adjective

Examples of hormone 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.
At the heart of these medications are two key hormones, depending on the drug: GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). Jackie Snow, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 That's because stress can spike hormones like adrenaline and cortisol and lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, according to Asfour, who is the medical director of the Cardiovascular Service Line for Dignity Health in Arizona. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 Sleep deprivation is also associated with disruptions in appetite-regulating hormones (ghrelin and leptin), which often increases cravings for sugary, nutrient-poor foods.12 2. Lauren Panoff, Mph, Rd, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2024 When people wake up in darkness, hormones like cortisol might be higher, which might make people feel sleepier, Dr. Kin Yuen, a sleep medicine specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, and a fellow at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, said in 2022. Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hormone 

Word History

Etymology

Greek hormōn, present participle of horman to stir up, from hormē impulse, assault; akin to Greek ornynai to rouse — more at rise

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hormone was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near hormone

Cite this Entry

“Hormone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hormone. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hormone

noun
hor·​mone ˈhȯr-ˌmōn How to pronounce hormone (audio)
: a product of living cells that circulates in body fluids (as blood) or sap and produces a specific and often stimulating effect on cells usually at a distance from the place where it is made

Medical Definition

hormone

noun
hor·​mone ˈhȯr-ˌmōn How to pronounce hormone (audio)
1
a
: a product of living cells that circulates in body fluids (as blood) or sap and produces a specific often stimulatory effect on the activity of cells usually a distance from its point of synthesis
Some people develop insulin resistance, a condition in which response to the hormone is muted and the body must produce excess insulin to maintain healthy blood-glucose concentrations.Ben Harder, Science News
b
: a synthetic substance that acts like a hormone
2
: sex hormone
I discovered I had the classic signs of perimenopause, the prelude to "the change" when hormones yo-yo before menstrual periods cease altogether …Beth Witrogen McLeod, Cooking Light
hormonelike adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hormone

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