A hormone is a chemical, usually occurring naturally in your body, that makes an organ of your body do something.
hormone in British English
(ˈhɔːməʊn)
noun
1.
a chemical substance produced in an endocrine gland and transported in the blood to a certain tissue, on which it exerts a specific effect
2.
an organic compound produced by a plant that is essential for growth
3.
any synthetic substance having the same effects
Derived forms
hormonal (horˈmonal) or hormonic
adjective
hormonally (horˈmonally)
adverb
hormonelike (ˈhormoneˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C20: from Greek hormōn, from horman to stir up, urge on, from hormē impulse, assault
hormone in American English
(ˈhɔrˌmoʊn)
noun
1.
a substance formed in some organ of the body, as the adrenal glands, the pituitary, etc., and carried by a body fluid to another organ or tissue, where it has a specific effect: now often prepared synthetically
2.
a similar substance produced in a plant, as an auxin
Derived forms
hormonal (horˈmonal) (hɔrˈmoʊnəl)
adjective or horˈmonic (ˈhɔrˈmɑnɪk)
Word origin
< Gr hormōn, prp. of horman, to stimulate, excite < hormē, impulse < IE base *ser-, to stream > Sans sará-, fluid, L serum, whey
Examples of 'hormone' in a sentence
hormone
Extra fat produces hormones and growth factors that can fuel cancer.
The Sun (2016)
Any animal products sold through the platform must not use antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Your body produces hormones which make you feel close.
The Sun (2015)
The herbal remedies listed below have proved to be effective in balancing hormones and boosting female fertility.
Colette Harris, With Theresa Cheung PCOS DIET BOOK: How you can use the nutritional approach to deal with polycysticovary syndrome (2002)
Exposure to certain hormones might increase or reduce the risk of certain conditions and traits.
The Sun (2012)
The rush of chemicals and hormones is electric and addictive.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Too little sleep can upset the production of stress hormones in glands in the brain.
The Sun (2007)
Officials are doubtful as to how useful growth hormone or steroids could be to competitors.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The hormone maintains blood pressure if a lung collapses or if much blood is lost.
Pantano, James A. (MD) Living with Angina (1991)
This will help burn off the stress hormones in your body.
The Sun (2010)
The basic cause is an imbalance between male and female hormones.
The Sun (2013)
The modern quest for this holy grail focuses on hormones and chemicals.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Could it be the growth hormones in the food we eat?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Stress hormones and blood pressure may also rise.
The Sun (2013)
This hormone helps the body cells in absorbing glucose.
Schneider, Hermann & Schneider, Leo The Harper Dictionary of Science in Everyday Language (1988)
He was spared prison on condition that he was injected with the female hormone oestrogen.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The pill is designed to release the hormone at certain times of the day when the body needs it most.
The Sun (2008)
The amount of caffeine in this diet alone is causing nutrients to be stripped from your hormones and thyroid gland.
The Sun (2012)
Well, human growth hormone has changed that dance for me.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
So looking obviously at testosterone, human growth hormone.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When you get anxious, you release certain hormones.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
When buying dairy products, try as much as possible to buy organic to reduce your intake of chemicals and hormones.
Colette Harris, With Theresa Cheung PCOS DIET BOOK: How you can use the nutritional approach to deal with polycysticovary syndrome (2002)
This also helps to direct the plants' hormones into the bud, triggering growth.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
hormone
British English: hormone /ˈhɔːməʊn/ NOUN
A hormone is a chemical, usually occurring naturally in your body, that stimulates certain organs of your body.
This hormone is present in both sexes.
American English: hormone
Arabic: هُرمُون
Brazilian Portuguese: hormônio
Chinese: 荷尔蒙
Croatian: hormon
Czech: hormon
Danish: hormon
Dutch: hormoon
European Spanish: hormona
Finnish: hormoni
French: hormone
German: Hormon
Greek: ορμόνη
Italian: ormone
Japanese: ホルモン
Korean: 호르몬
Norwegian: hormon
Polish: hormon
European Portuguese: hormona
Romanian: hormon
Russian: гормон
Latin American Spanish: hormona
Swedish: hormon
Thai: ฮอร์โมน
Turkish: hormon
Ukrainian: гормон
Vietnamese: hóc-môn
All related terms of 'hormone'
sex hormone
an animal hormone affecting development and growth of reproductive organs and related parts
plant hormone
an organic chemical, as auxin , produced by plant cells and functioning at various sites to regulate growth, turning , metabolic processes, etc.
growth hormone
a hormone synthesized in and secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland that promotes growth of the long bones in the limbs and increases the synthesis of protein essential for growth
thyroid hormone
A thyroid hormone is a hormone, especially thyroxine or triiodothyronine, produced by the thyroid gland.
hormone treatment
any of several medical treatments using hormones
juvenile hormone
a hormone , secreted by insects from a pair of glands behind the brain , that promotes the growth of larval characteristics and inhibits metamorphosis
antidiuretic hormone
a polypeptide hormone secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. It increases the reabsorption of water by the kidney tubules and increases blood pressure by constricting the arteries
luteinizing hormone
a gonadotrophic hormone secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland . In female vertebrates it stimulates ovulation, and in mammals it also induces the conversion of the ruptured follicle into the corpus luteum . In male vertebrates it promotes maturation of the interstitial cells of the testes and stimulates androgen secretion
parathyroid hormone
the hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands that controls the level of calcium in the blood : a deficiency of the hormone often results in tetany
bovine growth hormone
a growth hormone of cattle ; esp., this hormone synthesized artificially and administered to beef cattle to increase growth rate and reduce fat and to dairy cows to increase milk production
corpus luteum hormone
a steroid hormone , secreted mainly by the corpus luteum in the ovary , that prepares and maintains the uterus for pregnancy . Formula: C 21 H 30 O 2
human growth hormone
Human growth hormone is a hormone that is used to help short people, especially short children , to grow taller . The abbreviation → HGH is also used.
adrenocorticotrophic hormone
adrenocorticotrophic hormone ; a polypeptide hormone, secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland , that stimulates growth of the adrenal gland and the synthesis and secretion of corticosteroids . It is used in treating rheumatoid arthritis , allergic and skin diseases, and many other disorders
adrenocorticotropic hormone
→ ACTH
follicle-stimulating hormone
a gonadotrophic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates maturation of ovarian follicles in female mammals and growth of seminiferous tubules in males
hormone replacement therapy
If a woman has hormone replacement therapy , she takes the hormone oestrogen, usually in order to control the symptoms of the menopause . The abbreviation → HRT is often used.
thyroid-stimulating hormone
a glycoprotein hormone secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland : it stimulates the activity of the thyroid gland
thyrotropin-releasing hormone
a hormone produced by the hypothalamus that stimulates the production of thyrotropin
luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone
a hypothalamic peptide that stimulates the pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone
gonadotropin releasing hormone
a peptide hormone , produced by the hypothalamus , that stimulates the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland to secrete luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone
luteotrophin
a gonadotrophic hormone secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. In mammals it stimulates the secretion of progesterone by the corpus luteum and initiates and maintains lactation
parathormone
a hormone secreted by the parathyroids, important in the control of the calcium-phosphorus balance of the body
interstitial cell-stimulating hormone
→ another name for luteinizing hormone
HRT
HRT is given to women and involves taking the hormone oestrogen, usually in order to control the symptoms of the menopause . HRT is an abbreviation for 'hormone replacement therapy'.