a hormone, CHNOS, of the posterior pituitary gland, that stimulates contractions in the smooth muscle of the uterus and facilitates the secretion of milk
Origin of oxytocin
from oxytocic + -inoxytocin
ox·y·to·cinWebster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"oxytocin." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 10 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin>.
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oxytocin. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin
oxytocin
noun
- A short polypeptide hormone, C43H66N12O12S2, released from the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, that stimulates the contraction of smooth muscle of the uterus during labor and facilitates ejection of milk from the breast during nursing.
- A synthetic form of this hormone, used as a drug to induce labor and to control postpartum hemorrhage.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"oxytocin." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 10 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin>.
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oxytocin. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin
A polypeptide hormone secreted by the posterior portion of the pituitary gland. Oxytocin stimulates the contraction of smooth muscle of the uterus during childbirth and facilitates ejection of milk from the mammary glands.
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"oxytocin." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 10 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin>.
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oxytocin. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin
Noun
(countable and uncountable, plural oxytocins)
- (biochemistry) A hormone that stimulates contractions during labour/labor, and then the production of milk.
Anagrams
Origin
From oxytocic, from Ancient Greek ὀξÏÏ‚ (oxus, “swift") + τόκος (tokos, “childbirth"), from τίκτω (tiktÅ, “I give birth").
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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MLA Style
"oxytocin." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 10 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin>.
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oxytocin. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin
oxytocin - Medical Definition
n.
- A short polypeptide hormone, C43H66N12O12S2, released from the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, that stimulates the contraction of smooth muscle of the uterus during labor and facilitates ejection of milk from the breast during nursing.
- A synthetic form of this hormone, used as a drug to induce labor and to control postpartum hemorrhage.
The American Heritage Dictionary of Medicine © 2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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MLA Style
"oxytocin." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 10 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin>.
APA Style
oxytocin. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/oxytocin
