androgen

noun

an·​dro·​gen ˈan-drə-jən 

: a male sex hormone (such as testosterone)

androgenic

ˌan-drə-ˈje-nik 

adjective

Examples of androgen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Your doctor can check your hormones for insulin resistance or elevated androgen, a hormone which can cause things like acne, balding or increased body hair, Boots said. —Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 13 May 2026

The exact cause of PMOS is unknown, but people with the condition have higher levels of androgens, such as testosterone, and insulin. —Liz Neporent, ABC News, 12 May 2026

According to the Cleveland Clinic, PMOS is a hormonal disorder in which the ovaries produce excess androgens, sometimes referred to as male hormones. —Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 12 May 2026

Changes in estrogen and androgen levels can increase keratin production, promoting follicular plugging, while also affecting oil and sweat gland activity. —Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 11 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

andro- + -gen, after estrogen

Note: The term was apparently introduced in a short article "The Nomenclature of 'Male Hormones'" by the American Medical Society's Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry, published in the Journal of the American Medical Society, vol. 107, no. 3 (July 18, 1936), p. 212.

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing androgen

• androgen deprivation therapy
• androgen insensitivity syndrome
• anti-androgen

Kids Definition

androgen

noun

an·​dro·​gen ˈan-drə-jən 

: a male sex hormone (as testosterone)

Medical Definition

androgen

noun

an·​dro·​gen ˈan-drə-jən 

: a male sex hormone (as testosterone)

androgenic

ˌan-drə-ˈjen-ik 

adjective