thyroid gland

American  

noun

Anatomy.

• thyroid glands
  plural

1. a two-lobed endocrine gland, located at the base of the neck that secretes two hormones that regulate the rates of metabolism, growth, and development.

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thyroid gland British  

noun

1. an endocrine gland of vertebrates, consisting in man of two lobes near the base of the neck. It secretes hormones that control metabolism and body growth

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thyroid gland Scientific  

/ thī′roid′ /

1. A two-lobed gland that wraps around the trachea and is located at the base of the neck in vertebrate animals. The thyroid gland secretes two important hormones: thyroxine, which regulates the cell metabolism necessary for normal growth and development, and calcitonin, which stimulates the formation of bone and helps regulate the amount of calcium in the blood.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• thyroid glands
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of thyroid gland

First recorded in 1685–95

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thyroid gland

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

About 80% of people with an overactive thyroid gland have it.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2024

Dorio, 72, said it was expected to take about three hours to remove the tumor and half of Clough’s thyroid gland.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2024

Hypothyroidism is a disorder in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones.

From Salon ● Feb. 7, 2024

Horace Whaley’s eyes bulged—his thyroid gland was overactive—and swam, too, behind his spectacles.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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