androgen

American  

[an-druh-juhn, -jen] / ˈæn drə dʒən, -ˌdʒɛn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. any substance, as testosterone or androsterone, that promotes male characteristics.

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androgen British  

/ ˈændrədʒən, ˌændrəˈdʒɛnɪk /

noun

1. any of several steroids, produced as hormones by the testes or made synthetically, that promote development of male sexual organs and male secondary sexual characteristics

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androgen Scientific  

/ ăn′drə-jən /

1. Any of several steroid hormones, especially testosterone, that regulate the growth, development, and function of the male reproductive system. The testes are the main source of bodily androgens.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• androgenic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of androgen

First recorded in 1935–40; andro- + -gen

Example Sentences

The Cleveland Clinic notes that symptoms instead vary widely and can include irregular menstrual cycles, elevated androgen levels, acne, hair growth or loss, infertility and metabolic complications.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

The standard and most likely course of care for Biden will be ADT, or androgen deprivation therapy, which involves a pill or shot that will shut down testosterone production, the doctors said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2025

"By understanding EZH2's role in this context, we may be able to re-sensitize tumors to androgen receptor inhibitors or make the cancer newly vulnerable to targeted treatments, such as immunotherapies."

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2024

For example, females with a DSD known as androgen insensitivity syndrome have XY chromosomes; they produce testosterone; but their bodies aren’t equipped to process it.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2024

You could even start before you were eighteen with pills called androgen blockers that stopped the boy hormones already inside you from turning your body into a man's.

From "George" by Alex Gino