cortisol

American  

[kawr-tuh-sawl, -sohl] / ˈkɔr təˌsɔl, -ˌsoʊl /

noun

1. Biochemistry. one of several steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex and resembling cortisone in its action.

2. Pharmacology. hydrocortisone.

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cortisol British  

/ ˈkɔːtɪˌsɒl /

noun

1. another name for hydrocortisone

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cortisol Scientific  

/ kôr′tĭ-sôl′,-sōl′ /

1. The principal steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. It regulates carbohydrate metabolism and the immune system and maintains blood pressure. When natural or synthetic cortisol is used as a pharmaceutical, it is known as hydrocortisone.

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Etymology

Origin of cortisol

First recorded in 1950–55; cortis(one) + -ol ¹

Compare meaning

How does cortisol compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cortisone vs. cortisol

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cortisol

By analyzing tail hair samples, researchers found that herds living among wolves had cortisol levels 58% higher than those living in areas without wolves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

And my saliva tests show levels of the stress hormone cortisol went from a chilled out 4.19 nmol/L before the match to a slightly stressed 5.15 nmol/L at the final whistle.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

But Hong Kong-based startup PointFit offers a less intrusive alternative using an adhesive patch, whose tiny sensor reads levels of biomarkers like glucose and cortisol from the sweat on users' skin.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

She said she’s overheard her son and his friends teasing each other about things like high cortisol and high testosterone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

The hormone cortisol, recently synthesized in the lab, had been found to arrest the virilization these girls normally underwent, allowing them to develop as normal females.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides