pheromone

noun

pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn 

: a chemical substance that is usually produced by an animal and serves especially as a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behavioral responses

pheromonal

ˌfer-ə-ˈmō-nᵊl 

adjective

Examples of pheromone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hill says studies that have looked at pheromones in relation to humans have had contradictory findings. —Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2024

Everyone got to smell the comb, which takes on the waffle smell because of pheromones. —Jason Nark, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 2024

Not all experts are convinced this means Cretaceous ants, too, chatted via pheromones. —science.org, 3 July 2024

This latest study builds on the group's prior research investigating the effects of synthetic feline facial pheromones on undesirable scratching in cats, according to co-author Yasemin Salgirli Demirbas, a veterinary researcher at Ankara University in Turkey. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Greek phérein "to carry" + -o- + -mone (in hormone) — more at bear entry 2

Note: Name introduced by the German biochemist Peter Karlson (1918-2001) and the Swiss entomologist Martin Lüscher (1917-79) in "'Pheromones': a New Term for a Class of Biologically Active Substances," Nature, vol. 183, no. 4653 (January 3, 1959), pp. 55-56: "We propose, therefore, the designation 'pheromone' for this group of active substances. The name is derived from the Greek pherein, to transfer; hormōn, to excite. Pheromones are defined as substances which are secreted to the outside by an individual and received by a second individual of the same species, in which they release a specific reaction, for example, a definite behaviour or a developmental process."

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

pheromone

noun

pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn 

: a chemical substance (as a scent) that is produced by an animal and serves as a signal to other individuals of the same species to engage in some kind of behavior (as mating)

Medical Definition

pheromone

noun

pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn 

: a chemical substance that is produced by an animal and serves especially as a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behavioral responses

called also ectohormone