ecdysone

noun

ec·​dy·​sone ˈek-də-ˌsōn How to pronounce ecdysone (audio)
variants or less commonly ecdyson
: any of several arthropod hormones that in insects are produced by the prothoracic gland and that trigger molting and metamorphosis

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Most species make their own ecdysone but D.pachea is ill-equipped. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 28 Sep. 2012 This chemical reaction is the first of many that leads to ecdysone – a hormone that all insects need to transform from a larva into an adult. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 28 Sep. 2012

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

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Ecdyson, from Ecdysis ecdysis + -on (in Hormon hormone)

Note: Name introduced by the German biochemist Peter Karlson (1918-2001) in "Chemische Untersuchungen über die Metamorphosehormone der Insekten," Annales des sciences naturelles: zoologie et biologie animale, séries 11, tome 18 (1956), pp. 125-37.

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ecdysone was in 1956

Dictionary Entries Near ecdysone

Cite this Entry

“Ecdysone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecdysone. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.

Medical Definition

ecdysone

noun
ec·​dy·​sone ˈek-də-ˌsōn How to pronounce ecdysone (audio)
variants also ecdyson
: any of several arthropod hormones that in insects are produced by the prothoracic gland and that trigger molting and metamorphosis

More from Merriam-Webster on ecdysone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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