endocrine

1 of 2

adjective

en·​do·​crine ˈen-də-krən How to pronounce endocrine (audio) -ˌkrīn How to pronounce endocrine (audio) -ˌkrēn How to pronounce endocrine (audio)
1
: secreting internally
specifically : producing secretions that are distributed in the body by way of the bloodstream
hormones produced by the endocrine system
2
: of, relating to, affecting, or resembling an endocrine gland or secretion
endocrine tumors

endocrine

2 of 2

noun

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The body's glands remove specific substances from the blood and alter them for rerelease into the blood or removal. Glands such as those that produce saliva and sweat secrete their products through tiny ducts or tubes on or near the body's surface. The glands without ducts, called the endocrine glands, instead secrete their products into the bloodstream; the endo- root indicates that the secretions are internal rather than on the surface. The endocrine system includes such glands as the pituitary (which controls growth, regulates the other endocrines, and performs many other tasks), the thyroid (another growth gland that also influences metabolism), the adrenals (which secrete adrenaline and steroids), the hypothalamus (which influences sleep and weight regulation), and the ovaries (which produce eggs). Endocrine problems are treated by endocrinologists.

Examples of endocrine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Phthalates Phthalates are potential endocrine disruptors, meaning they are thought to interfere with normal hormone function. Macaela MacKenzie, Glamour, 2 Feb. 2023 The concern about chemicals, particularly endocrine disruptors, started after the realization that such chemicals could affect cancer risk in rodent models. Richard Stevens, Discover Magazine, 21 Apr. 2015 Many artificial fragrances are respiratory irritants and some are known mimics of estrogen which can disrupt our delicate hormone systems through endocrine disruption. Lorraine Wilde, Treehugger, 23 Jan. 2023 However, there are some instances when these areas are darker due to an underlying health issue like insulin resistance or an endocrine disorder, Dr. Tzu shares. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 20 Sep. 2022 People with thyroid conditions or other endocrine disorders should speak to a doctor before taking sea moss pills. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2022 On the other hand, men had higher rates of renal disorders as well as endocrine disorders, including diabetes. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 21 June 2022 Of particular alarm for humans are endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, which are quite common. WIRED, 29 Nov. 2022 It has been linked to birth defects, multiple organ damage, and endocrine disruption. The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Apr. 2022
Noun
Hair type: Best for all hair types 4/19 Best Budget: Head and Shoulders Bare Soothing Hydration Silicone-Free Dandruff Shampoo This product is free of parabens and phthalates–two preservatives that are known to interfere with your endocrine system, Dr. Del Campo explains. Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 4 Mar. 2024 Guillemin was one of the world’s foremost experts on the endocrine system, which controls the body’s hormones. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2024 Alcohol consumption can disrupt the normal functioning of the endocrine system, which regulates hormone balance, including cortisol. Meggen Harris, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 The Cleveland Clinic warns against using toothpaste on the skin because many varieties contain triclosan, an ingredient used in cleaning products that could harm the endocrine system. USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 According to Park, heavy metals can affect ovarian aging in several ways, including disrupting hormone homeostasis and leading to endocrine imbalance. Michelle Pugle, Health, 31 Jan. 2024 These microplastics contain chemical additives, including substances like phthalates and bisphenol A that can leach out and may have health effects in humans and animals, including effects on the endocrine system. Judith Weis, The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2024 Many plastics are endocrine disruptors, which can cause fertility problems and cancers. Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 Of particular concern are a class of additives known as endocrine disruptors — chemicals that mimic and confuse hormone signaling in humans. Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'endocrine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from French, from endo- endo- + -crine, as in olocrine, holocrine holocrine and mérocrine merocrine

Note: Word introduced by the French histologist Édouard Laguesse (1861-1927) in "Sur la formation des îlots de Langerhans dans le pancréas," Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances et mémoires de la Société de Biologie, 45. tome (1893), p. 820. The conclusions summarized in this report were treated in more detail in the author's "Recherches sur l'histogénie du pancréas chez le mouton," carried over two numbers of the Journal de l'anatomie et de la physiologie, vols. 31-32 (1895-96). In vol. 32, p. 245, Laguesse remarks on the word, now used in the collocation îlots endocrines, referring to the islets of Langerhans: "C'est en 1893 (29 juillet), dans une communication préliminaire faite à la Société de Biologie, que j'ais pour la première fois prononcé ce mot et émis cet hypothèse, mais avec une grande réserve …" ("It was in 1893 (July 29), in a preliminary communication made to the Société de Biologie, that I uttered this word and put forward this hypothesis for the first time, though with great reserve …"). In an undated manuscript note Laguesse commented on the introduction of the word: "Dès ma première communication sur les îlots pancréatiques en 1893, j'avais été gêné d'avoir toujours à répéter ce qualificatif 'à sécrétion interne' et j'étais frappé de la bonne allure et de la simplicité des termes holocrine et mérocrine créés par Ranvier. A son exemple je forgeai le vocable endocrine, de ενδον en dedans, κρινω je sépare, je sécrète. Il devait répondre à une véritable nécessité, si nous en jugeon[s] d'après son succès." ("From the time of my first communication on the pancreatic islets in 1893, I was bothered by the need to always repeat the qualification 'by internal secretion,' and I was struck by the attractiveness and simplicity of the terms holocrine and merocrine created by Ranvier. After his example I coined the word endocrine, de endon 'inside' and krinō 'I separate, I secrete.' It must have responded to a real need, to judge by its success.") (See reproduction of the note in Pierre Fossati, "Edouard Laguesse à Lille en 1893 crée le terme 'endocrine' et ouvre l'ère de l'endocrinologie," Histoire des sciences médicales, tome 38 [2004], pp. 433-40.)

Noun

derivative of endocrine entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of endocrine was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near endocrine

Cite this Entry

“Endocrine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endocrine. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

endocrine

adjective
en·​do·​crine
ˈen-də-krən,
-ˌkrīn,
-ˌkrēn
1
: producing secretions that are distributed in the body by way of the bloodstream or lymph
2
: of, relating to, or resembling an endocrine gland or secretion

Medical Definition

endocrine

1 of 2 adjective
en·​do·​crine ˈen-də-krən How to pronounce endocrine (audio) -ˌkrīn How to pronounce endocrine (audio) -ˌkrēn How to pronounce endocrine (audio)
1
: secreting internally
specifically : producing secretions that are distributed in the body by way of the bloodstream
an endocrine organ
2
: of, relating to, affecting, or resembling an endocrine gland or secretion
endocrine tumors

endocrine

2 of 2 noun

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