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hormone

The definition of a hormone is a substance formed in an organ or tissue in the body of a plant or animal and then transported by body fluid to another organ or tissue for a specific action.

(noun)

An example of a hormone is estrogen in humans.

See hormone in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a substance formed in some organ of the body, as the adrenal glands, the pituitary, etc., and carried by a body fluid to another organ or tissue, where it has a specific effect: now often prepared synthetically
a similar substance produced in a plant, as an auxin

Origin: < Gr hormōn, prp. of horman, to stimulate, excite < hormē, impulse < IE base *ser-, to stream > Sans sará-, fluid, L serum, whey

Related Forms:

hormonal adjective or hormonic

See hormone in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. A substance, usually a peptide or steroid, produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another to effect physiological activity, such as growth or metabolism.
b. A synthetic compound that acts like a hormone in the body.
Any of various similar substances found in plants and insects that regulate development.

Origin:

Origin: From Greek hormōn

Origin: , present participle of hormān, to urge on

Origin: , from hormē, impulse; see er-¹ in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: