corticosteroid

noun cor·ti·co·ste·roid \ ˌkȯr-ti-kō-ˈstir-ˌȯid also -ˈster- \

|Updated on: 1 Jul 2018

Definition of corticosteroid

: any of various steroid hormones (such as cortisol, cortisone, or aldosterone) that are produced by the adrenal cortex (see cortex 1(a)1) from cholesterol; also : any of various synthetic derivatives (such as prednisone or dexamethasone) of these steroid hormones that are used as drugs

Note: Corticosteroids are classified according to their physiological activity as glucocorticoids, which chiefly regulate carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism, and mineralocorticoids, which chiefly regulate electrolyte and fluid balance in the body. Androgens (such as androstenedione) are also produced by the adrenal cortex and are sometimes classified as corticosteroids.

Recent Examples of corticosteroid from the Web

During an actual flare, your doctor might recommend certain medications to help control itching and repair your skin, including a corticosteroid cream or ointment, the Mayo Clinic says.

— korin miller, SELF, "6 Eczema Symptoms You Should Bring Up With Your Derm," 15 June 2018
Zilretta, which received Food and Drug Administration approval in October, treats pain as a corticosteroid is gradually released from tiny globes known as microspheres.

— brian gormley, WSJ, "The Heated Quest for Opioid Alternatives," 25 May 2018
Lobotomies for ulcerative colitis, and for mental illness, were halted in the late 1950s because of outrage at the barbarity of the procedure and the emergence of new drugs — antipsychotics for mental illness and corticosteroids for colitis.

— jim carrier, STAT, "Lobotomies were once used to treat this gut disease, part of a shameful medical history," 12 June 2018
But when given the standard treatments for an asthma attack, which included oral corticosteroids and inhaled bronchodilators, 19 failed to respond to their medications.

— sonja haller, USA TODAY, "Flu shots go a long way to keep kids with asthma out of the emergency room, study says," 4 June 2018
Following the accident, my doctor began administering facet injections, a combination of corticosteroids and local numbing agents, which provided long-term pain relief lasting from four to six months.

— sarah wilson as told to maria carter, Woman's Day, "I Trusted My Doctor—Until I Became Addicted to Prescription Painkillers," 22 Apr. 2016
After trying more than two dozen medications, a crazy sounding diet, and corticosteroids that made Sam look like a cancer patient, Epidiolex—which didn’t even have a name when Sam tried it—was truly our last option to help him.

— fred vogelstein, WIRED, "My Son Pioneered an Epilepsy Drug Derived From Marijuana. An FDA Panel Just Approved It," 20 Apr. 2018
The committee accused him of using corticosteroids to improve his power-to-weight ratio ahead of the race, rather than for the stated purpose of treating asthma.

— matt hart, The Atlantic, "The Man Who Brought Down Lance Armstrong," 19 Apr. 2018
There are also a number of inhalers that can help manage COPD, in addition to corticosteroids and oxygen tanks.

— shelby fleig, USA TODAY, "5 things to know about COPD, the lung disease ailing Barbara Bush," 16 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'corticosteroid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of corticosteroid

1944

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Medical Dictionary

corticosteroid

noun cor·ti·co·ste·roid \ ˌkȯrt-i-kō-ˈsti(ə)r-ˌȯid also -ˈste(ə)r- \

medical Definition of corticosteroid

: any of various adrenal-cortex steroids (as corticosterone, cortisone, and aldosterone) that are divided on the basis of their major biological activity into glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids