cortisol

American

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

noun

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

cortisol British

/ ˈkɔːtɪˌsɒl /

noun

another name for hydrocortisone

"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

cortisol Scientific

/ kôr′tĭ-sôl′,-sōl′ /

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.

Etymology

Origin of cortisol

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

Compare meaning

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cortisone vs. cortisol

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.

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, two tiny organs, each the size of half a walnut, that sit on top of the kidneys.

From Slate • Sep. 9, 2025

Cortisol intervenes in sugar and fat metabolism and affects other parameters, including blood pressure and respiratory and heart rate.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2024

Cortisol is a hormone produced in the bodies of humans and animals in stressful situations.

From BBC • Aug. 25, 2020

Cortisol, the stress hormone, in infants goes up when separated from the mother or father.

From Washington Post • Apr. 25, 2017

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands that sit on top of the kidneys.

From The Guardian • Mar. 6, 2017

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023