endocrine gland

American  

noun

1. any of various glands, as the thyroid, adrenal, and pituitary glands, that secrete certain substances or hormones directly into the blood or lymph; ductless gland.

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endocrine gland British  

noun

1. Also called: ductless gland.  any of the glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream, including the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, testes, ovaries, and the pancreatic islets of Langerhans

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endocrine gland Scientific  

/ ĕn′də-krĭn,-krēn′ /

1. A gland of the body that produces hormones and secretes them directly into the bloodstream. In mammals, the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, and pituitary gland, as well as the ovaries, testes, and the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas are endocrine glands.

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endocrine gland Cultural  

1. A gland that secretes hormones directly into the blood. These glands make up the endocrine system.

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Etymology

Origin of endocrine gland

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

When your thyroid—a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland in your neck that churns out hormones—isn’t working properly, it affects hormones throughout your body, including those linked with hair growth.

From Time • Feb. 23, 2014

Inferior but somewhat posterior to the thalamus is the pineal gland, a tiny endocrine gland whose functions are not entirely clear.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

An endocrine gland may also secrete a hormone in response to the presence of another hormone produced by a different endocrine gland.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

A well-known example of the aging process affecting an endocrine gland is menopause and the decline of ovarian function.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Located near the base of the neck, the thyroid is a large endocrine gland that produces hormones that help control growth and metabolism.

From New York Times • Mar. 13, 2011