pituitary
Americannoun
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Pharmacology. the extract obtained from the lobes of the pituitary glands of hogs, sheep, and other domestic animals: the posterior lobe constituent increases blood pressure, contracts stomach muscles, etc., and the anterior lobe constituent regulates growth of the skeleton.
adjective
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of, relating to, or involving the pituitary gland.
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noting a physical type of abnormal size with overgrown extremities resulting from excessive pituitary secretion.
noun
adjective
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of or relating to the pituitary gland
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archaic of or relating to phlegm or mucus
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pituitary
First recorded in 1605–15, pituitary is from the Latin word pītuītārius pertaining to or secreting phlegm. See pip 2, -ary
Vocabulary lists containing pituitary
Human Anatomy and Physiology - High School
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Human Anatomy and Physiology - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Pituitary Foundation, which provides support about Cushing's Syndrome in the UK, told the BBC they were sorry to hear about Schumer's diagnosis, saying it was "encouraging to see her raising awareness of her condition".
From BBC • Feb. 26, 2024
The patient had his hip-replacement surgery — it really did help — and then reached out to the California Center for Pituitary Disorders at the University of California in San Francisco.
From New York Times • Jun. 27, 2018
Figure 17.9 Anterior Pituitary The anterior pituitary manufactures seven hormones.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
The Pituitary Foundation's financial and staffing resources are limited, and it is their duty to allocate them to the greatest need.
From The Guardian • Mar. 18, 2010
Tumours of the Pituitary Body or Hypophysis Cerebri.—The tumours most frequently met with in the pituitary body are of the nature of adenoma with hyperplasia and cystic degeneration; carcinoma and sarcoma also occur.
From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
