gland

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈgland 

1

a

: a specialized cell, group of cells, or organ of endothelial origin that selectively removes materials from the blood, concentrates or alters them, and secretes them for further use in the body or for elimination from the body compare endocrine gland, exocrine gland

b

: any of various animal structures suggestive of glands though not secretory in function

2

: any of various secreting organs (such as a nectary) of plants

glandless

ˈgland-ləs 

adjective

gland

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: a device for preventing leakage of fluid past a joint in machinery

2

: the movable part of a stuffing box by which the packing is compressed

Examples of gland in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Our internal highways are made up of intricate webs of nerves, arteries and glands that snake in and out of our organs. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026

Similar to other colubrids, this species possesses a Duvernoy’s gland—a venom gland located behind the eyes and connected by a tube to grooved, backward-curving teeth at the back of the upper jaw. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026

Given the prostate’s size and positioning, MRIs only became reliable in providing images of lesions of the gland in the past 15 years; their sensitivity — the ability to find a lesion that’s there — is now up to 93%. — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026

Its glands secrete two classes of compounds, bufogenin and bufotoxin, that can be lethal to humans even in tiny doses. — Kimon De Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French glande, from Old French, glandular swelling on the neck, gland, ultimately from Latin gland-, glans acorn; akin to Greek balanos acorn

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1692, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gland

• adrenal gland
• apocrine gland
• Bartholin's gland
• bulbourethral gland
• Cowper's gland
• digestive gland
• ductless gland
• eccrine gland
• eccrine sweat gland
• endocrine gland
• exocrine gland
• gastric gland
• green gland
• lymph gland
• mammary gland
• oil gland
• parathyroid gland
• parotid gland
• pineal gland
• pituitary gland
• prostate gland
• prothoracic gland
• salivary gland
• salt gland
• sebaceous gland
• sex gland
• silk gland
• suprarenal gland
• sweat gland
• thymus gland
• uropygial gland

Rhymes for gland

• band
• banned
• bland
• brand
• canned
• fanned
• lande
• mande
• manned
• panned
• planned
• sande

Kids Definition

gland

noun

ˈgland

: a cell or group of cells that makes and secretes a product (as saliva, sweat, bile, or shell) for further use in or for elimination from the plant or animal body

Medical Definition

gland

noun

ˈgland 

1

: a cell, group of cells, or organ of endothelial origin that selectively removes materials from the blood, concentrates or alters them, and secretes them for further use in the body or for elimination from the body

2

: any of various animal structures (as a lymph node) suggestive of glands though not secretory in function

glandless

ˈglan-dləs 

adjective