thyroid

American  

[thahy-roid] / ˈθaɪ rɔɪd /

adjective

1. of or relating to the thyroid gland.

2. of or relating to the largest cartilage of the larynx, forming the projection known in humans as the Adam's apple.

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noun

thyroids plural

1. thyroid gland.

2. the thyroid cartilage.

3. an artery, vein, etc., in the thyroid region.

4. Medicine/Medical. a preparation made from the thyroid glands of certain animals, used in treating hypothyroid conditions.

thyroid British  

/ ˈθaɪrɔɪd /

adjective

1. of or relating to the thyroid gland

2. of or relating to the largest cartilage of the larynx

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noun

1. See thyroid gland

2. Also: thyroid extract.  the powdered preparation made from the thyroid gland of certain animals, used to treat hypothyroidism

thyroid Cultural  

1. A large gland in the neck that functions in the endocrine system. The thyroid secretes hormones that regulate growth and metabolism.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antithyroid
  adjective
• postthyroidal
  adjective
• prethyroid
  adjective
• thyroidal
  adjective
• thyroidless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• thyroids
  plural

Etymology

Origin of thyroid

1685–95; variant of thyreoid < Greek thyreoeidḗs shield-shaped, equivalent to thyre ( ós ) oblong shield (literally, doorlike object, equivalent to thýr ( a ) door + -eos adj. suffix) + -oeidēs -oid

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thyroid thyroids

She has suffered for years from multiple chronic health issues including ME and an autoimmune thyroid condition.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

Filipino women have a higher incidence of thyroid cancer, and stomach cancer has been more common among some Korean and Japanese people.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026

Russian scientists working with government agencies claim to have bioprinted human cartilage tissue and a mouse thyroid gland, with the aim of achieving human organ replacement by 2030.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

Tests to track thyroid function and inflammation markers can be delivered to your doorstep with the paper towels or dog food.

From Barron's ● May 21, 2026

But in the long run its tendency to cause malignant tumors of the thyroid may be far more significant for wildlife and perhaps also for man.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

With a million better things to do, we race the beagle to the vet, who mutters a bunch of things about thyroids and further tests.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 21, 2018

Iodine is key to the functioning of your thyroids, and while you can get it from other sources, salt was iodized because we weren't getting enough of it.

From New York Times ● Apr. 25, 2017

Government scientists, drawing on data from Nagasaki and Hiroshima, used to visit schools to check thyroids and radioactivity levels, recalled Peterson, another advocate.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 6, 2015

Yet when Japanese scientists and inspected the bodies of 38,000 children living in the Fukushima Prefecture, they found 36 percent had abnormal growths on their thyroids a year after the accident.

From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2013

Of course, the radioactive strontium they ate was concentrated in their bones, and the radioactive iodine was concentrated in their thyroids.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan