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

However, incidence of invasive lobular carcinoma, a cancer than develops in the milk-producing glands of the breast -- once rare -- has doubled since the 1970s. —Dr. Jamie Parkerson, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2025

The lawsuit says Osman was only supposed to remove part of the gland if cancer was found, but no cancer was detected. —Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025

And the thymus gland, the producer of white blood cells, shrinks and weakens over time. —Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 30 Sep. 2025

Urine, feces and gland oil act like social media posts, conveying each individual’s identity, health, height and reproductive status, the availability and quality of prey, and the extent of their territory. —Steven Sullivan, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025

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