Main Entry:

hor·mone

Pronunciation:

\ˈhȯr-ˌmōn\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Greek hormōn, present participle of horman to stir up, from hormē impulse, assault; akin to Greek ornynai to rouse — more at rise

Date:

1905

1: a product of living cells that circulates in body fluids (as blood) or sap and produces a specific often stimulatory effect on the activity of cells usually remote from its point of origin ; also : a synthetic substance that acts like a hormone2: sex hormone

— hor·mone·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective