goiter

American  

[goi-ter] / ˈgɔɪ tər /

especially British, goitre

noun

Pathology.

• goiters
  plural

1. an enlargement of the thyroid gland on the front and sides of the neck, usually symptomatic of abnormal thyroid secretion, especially hypothyroidism due to a lack of iodine in the diet.

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goiter Scientific  

/ goi′tər /

1. An enlarged thyroid gland, visible as a swelling at the front of the neck. It is often associated with thyroid disease, especially in areas of the world outside of North America where iodine deficiency is endemic.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• goiters
  plural

Etymology

Origin of goiter

1615–25; < French goitre ≪ Latin guttur throat

Explanation

A goiter is an unusually enlarged thyroid gland that results in a protusion on the neck. If you've ever seen someone with a large growth on their neck, it may have been a goiter. Goiters are a result of the thyroid gland producing too much or too little hormone. Goiters can also develop because you're not getting enough iodine in your diet. A goiter can be small, but it can also become extremely large and unsightly. If you even think you're getting a goiter, it's a good idea to see a doctor.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

goiter goiters

This interference can increase the risk of developing goiter, a condition linked to multiple health complications.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 16, 2026

I once watched him spend an entire bus ride diagnosing a fellow passenger’s goiter and then offering her advice about which kind of doctor she should consult.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 1, 2026

Hector V.: Iodine was originally added to salt to reduce the incidence of a goiter.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 21, 2021

While it was obvious to the touch, and I didn't have a goiter, someone had put his hand on it and said, "Oh dude, yeah, wow. You might want to have that looked at."

From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2021

Only the skin on her throat was taut and smooth, stretched over an enormous goiter.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Researchers rushed to isolate other micronutrients associated with diseases like rickets, scurvy, goiters, and more.

From National Geographic ● Nov. 9, 2023

But wait, there was another downside—because arsenic interferes iodine necessary for thyroid function, eating it gave people goiters.

From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2021

Noses run, sputum flies and goiters swell to bursting.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 16, 2020

Iodine deficiency also causes goiters, but the biggest impact is mental disability: The world has lost billions of I.Q. points this way.

From New York Times ● Dec. 1, 2018

It had lots of fiber, she pointed out, and she had us salt it heavily because the iodine would keep us from getting goiters.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls