sex hormone

American

noun

Biochemistry.

any of a class of steroid hormones that regulate the growth and function of the reproductive organs or stimulate the development of the secondary sexual characteristics.

sex hormone British

noun

an animal hormone affecting development and growth of reproductive organs and related parts

"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

sex hormone Scientific

Any of various steroid hormones that regulate the sexual development of an organism and are needed for reproduction. Testosterone and estrogen are sex hormones.

Etymology

Origin of sex hormone

First recorded in 1935–40

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.

They homed in on testosterone by experimenting with sex hormone changes in the animals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Because the disease is far more common in men than premenopausal women, scientists have long suspected the sex hormone testosterone is important in atherosclerosis, though its role isn't entirely clear.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2024

"Once the pregnancy is over, they can resume the sex hormone therapy," says Dr Mahesh DM, an endocrinologist in Bangalore city who has worked with several transgender people.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2023

The first trans patient treated with blockers, from age 13 to 18, moved on to testosterone, the male sex hormone.

From New York Times • Nov. 14, 2022

Anabolic steroids are a form of testosterone, a male sex hormone that stimulates muscle formation, leading to increased muscle mass.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

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