melatonin 
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melatonin definition
mela·to·nin (mel′ə tō′nin)
noun
a hormone, CHNO, produced by the pineal body, that lightens skin pigmentation, inhibits estrus, etc.: its secretion is inhibited by sunlight
Etymology: mela(no)- + ton(ic) + -in
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Alternate definitions:
melatonin Usage Examples
Converse of object
- secrete: People with SAD may respond to a decrease in light by secreting more melatonin than people without SAD.
Preposition: at
- night: Serotonin is further converted into melatonin at night to promote sleep.
Adjective modifier
- exogenous: The efficacy and safety of exogenous melatonin for primary sleep disorders: A meta-analysis.
Modifies a noun
- secretion: One case showed that propranolol, a melatonin secretion blocker, given in the morning helped lift SAD symptoms by shifting the circadian rhythm.
Noun used with modifier
- hormone: It releases the hormone melatonin which acts on the ovaries to inhibit the estrus cycle.
Preposition: in
- treatment: A new study has unlocked the key role of melatonin in the treatment of cancer.
Preposition: for
- disorder: The efficacy and safety of exogenous melatonin for primary sleep disorders: A meta-analysis.
The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.
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MLA Style
"melatonin." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009
- Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
- <www.yourdictionary.com/melatonin>
APA Style
melatonin. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary
- Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/melatonin
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