adrenal gland

American  

noun

Anatomy.

adrenal glands plural

1. one of a pair of ductless glands, located above the kidneys, consisting of a cortex, which produces steroidal hormones, and a medulla, which produces epinephrine and norepinephrine.

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adrenal gland British  

noun

1. Also called: suprarenal gland.  an endocrine gland at the anterior end of each kidney. Its medulla secretes adrenaline and noradrenaline and its cortex secretes several steroid hormones

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adrenal gland Scientific  

/ ə-drē′nəl /

1. Either of two small endocrine glands, one located above each kidney. The outer portion, or cortex, secretes steroid hormones (corticosteroids). The inner portion, or medulla, secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• adrenal glands
  plural

Etymology

Origin of adrenal gland

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

“Copenhagen” taps the adrenal gland by keeping viewers off balance about who is who and what is what, beginning with the opening subtitles: President—and former CIA director—George H.W.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

They found that exercise impacted thousands of molecules, with the most extreme changes in the adrenal gland, which produces hormones that regulate many important processes such as immunity, metabolism, and blood pressure.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

Cushing’s syndrome is sometimes the result of a tumor in the adrenal gland or elsewhere in the brain, requiring surgery.

From New York Times • Feb. 26, 2024

The small, bubbly-looking orange adrenal gland sits atop each kidney and makes adrenaline and substances called catecholamines.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 4, 2023

A growth on her adrenal gland had turned up on a Bellevue CAT scan, prompting a visit to an endocrinologist.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times