pituitary
Americannoun
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Pharmacology. the extract obtained from the lobes of the pituitary glands of hogs, sheep, and other domestic animals: the posterior lobe constituent increases blood pressure, contracts stomach muscles, etc., and the anterior lobe constituent regulates growth of the skeleton.
adjective
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of, relating to, or involving the pituitary gland.
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noting a physical type of abnormal size with overgrown extremities resulting from excessive pituitary secretion.
noun
adjective
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of or relating to the pituitary gland
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archaic of or relating to phlegm or mucus
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pituitary
First recorded in 1605–15, pituitary is from the Latin word pītuītārius pertaining to or secreting phlegm. See pip 2, -ary
Vocabulary lists containing pituitary
Human Anatomy and Physiology - High School
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Human Anatomy and Physiology - Middle School
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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.
The reviewers were particularly concerned with the compound’s potential to harm pregnant women and children, as well as its effect on the pituitary gland.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2024
“Events” is a generous way to describe the action, which mostly unfolds in and around the narrator Eve’s pituitary gland.
From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2024
From birth, Jorgie was in and out of hospital with a pituitary gland problem that affected her development and made her face puffy.
From BBC • Jan. 10, 2024
He finally was diagnosed with a tumor on the pituitary gland in his brain.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 5, 2024
Spoke of those gradually increasing doses of pituitary administered during the final ninety-six metres of their course.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
