corticosteroid

[kawr-tuh-koh-ster-oid, -steer-]

noun Biochemistry.

any of a class of steroids, as aldosterone, hydrocortisone, or cortisone, occurring in nature, especially as a product of the adrenal cortex, or synthesized.

Origin of corticosteroid

First recorded in 1940–45; cortico- + steroid

Also called cor·ti·coid

[kawr-tuh-koid] /ˈkɔr təˌkɔɪd/.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for corticosteroid

corticosteroid

corticoid

noun

any steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that affects carbohydrate, protein, and electrolyte metabolism, gonad function, and immune response

any similar synthetic substance, used in treating inflammatory and allergic diseases

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for corticosteroid

by 1945, from cortico-, word-forming element from comb. form of Latin cortex "bark of a tree" (see cortex), applied since c.1890 to various surface structures of plants, animals, or organs + steroid. So called because they are produced in the adrenal cortex. Related: Corticosterone.

corticosteroid in Medicine

corticosteroid

[kôr′tĭ-kō-stîr′oid′, -stĕr′-]

n.

Any of the steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex or their synthetic equivalents.

corticosteroid in Science

corticosteroid

[kôr′tĭ-kō-stîr′oid′, -stĕr′-]

Any of the steroid hormones, such as cortisol or aldosterone, produced by the cortex of the adrenal gland. Corticosteroids are also produced synthetically for medicinal purposes.