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

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thyroid thyroids

“Conditions such as depression, lack of sleep, a low-functioning thyroid, and vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to memory loss that mimic the early stages of dementia,” Tan writes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

She said she’s had patients find out about previously unknown thyroid disorders and kidney dysfunction during pre-ops.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

But when I looked into it more, I discovered it also happens to some woman who have other autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid problems.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

"I was supposed to go for a thyroid check-up in January," Vasile, a 56-year-old housewife, told AFP, saying she used the money instead for food and the electricity bill.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

But in the event of a nuclear accident, people who may be exposed to iodine 131 can take potassium iodide tablets, which provide enough non-radioactive iodine 127 to saturate the thyroid.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Some interviewees told Sorensen of men who examined their thyroids or of the potassium iodide pills teachers passed out to combat the effects of radiation.

From Scientific American ● Jan. 27, 2022

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

Sadly there are no talking spleens or thyroids or wombs in Mr. Hamblin’s book.

From New York Times ● Dec. 22, 2016

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

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

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