pheromone

noun

pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn 

: a chemical substance that is usually produced by an animal and serves especially as a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behavioral responses

pheromonal

ˌfer-ə-ˈmō-nᵊl 

adjective

Examples of pheromone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to data from Market Defense, the category, which is not new to Amazon, reaches average monthly sales of more than $30,000 for women’s pheromone fragrances and nearly $90,000 for men’s pheromone fragrances. —Emily Burns, Footwear News, 27 June 2025

Subtle chemical signals from pheromones are known to play a role in attraction in many species. —Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025

With their powerful noses, pets can pick up pheromones, illness including cancer, and the scent of other animals or people. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025

The male snakes follow pheromones released by females, and inevitably lead the biologists to large females who live miles from the nearest road, in places such as Picayune Strand State Park and Collier-Seminole State Park. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 9 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek phérein "to carry" + -o- + -mone (in hormone) — more at bear entry 2

Note: Name introduced by the German biochemist Peter Karlson (1918-2001) and the Swiss entomologist Martin Lüscher (1917-79) in "'Pheromones': a New Term for a Class of Biologically Active Substances," Nature, vol. 183, no. 4653 (January 3, 1959), pp. 55-56: "We propose, therefore, the designation 'pheromone' for this group of active substances. The name is derived from the Greek pherein, to transfer; hormōn, to excite. Pheromones are defined as substances which are secreted to the outside by an individual and received by a second individual of the same species, in which they release a specific reaction, for example, a definite behaviour or a developmental process."

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pheromone

• acetone
• anglophone
• baritone
• bourguignon
• buspirone
• chaperon
• chaperone
• cobblestone
• collarbone
• cornerstone
• cortisone
• dictaphone

Kids Definition

pheromone

noun

pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn 

: a chemical substance (as a scent) that is produced by an animal and serves as a signal to other individuals of the same species to engage in some kind of behavior (as mating)

Medical Definition

pheromone

noun

pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn 

: a chemical substance that is produced by an animal and serves especially as a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behavioral responses

called also ectohormone