Definition of oxytocin
: a pituitary octapeptide hormone C43H66N12O12S2 that stimulates especially the contraction of uterine muscle and the secretion of milk
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Recent Examples of oxytocin from the Web
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When your dog stares into your eyes, your oxytocin rises.
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More aggressive approaches include the administration of Pitocin and Syntocinon, synthetic versions of the hormone oxytocin.
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Less stress, more relaxation and a boost of oxytocin (the love hormone) lead to a happier you.
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Aaron Caughey, the chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health Sciences University, and a leading researcher on obstetric practice, recalls how Clark standardized the use of oxytocin.
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At the same time, experts conclude that the release of oxytocin reduces stress levels, and its accompanying melatonin signals the body for a time of rest.
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The World Health Organization currently recommends treating birth hemorrhages by massaging the uterus and injecting uterus-shrinking drugs like oxytocin.
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Throw a bear hug into the mix — and the accompanying flood of oxytocin — and that old brain circuitry lit up like fireworks.
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Once again, our friend dopamine is part of the mix, regulated by oxytocin.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oxytocin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of oxytocin
International Scientific Vocabulary, from oxytocic
Medical Dictionary
oxytocin
playMedical Definition of oxytocin
1: an octapeptide hormone C43H66N12O12S2 secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland that stimulates especially the contraction of uterine muscle and the secretion of milk—called also alpha-hypophamine
2: a synthetic version of oxytocin used especially to initiate or increase uterine contractions (as in the induction of labor)—see pitocin
Learn More about oxytocin
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oxytocin
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