SINCE 1828
pituitary gland
nounDefinition of pituitary gland
: a small oval endocrine organ that is attached to the infundibulum of the brain, consists of an epithelial anterior lobe joined by an intermediate part to a posterior lobe of nervous origin, and produces various internal secretions directly or indirectly impinging on most basic body functions
— called also hypophysis, pituitary body
— see brain illustrationExamples of pituitary gland in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The pituitary gland sends andrenocorti-cotropic hormone (ACTH) to the adrenal glands, which release the hormone cortisol. — Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, "What Science Says About Why You're Stressed and How to Cope," 21 June 2019 Long Term: To start the HPA axis, the hypothalamus sends corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) to the pituitary gland. — Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, "What Science Says About Why You're Stressed and How to Cope," 21 June 2019 As a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in the 1980s, Dr. Anne Klibanski conceived of a new approach to help patients with pituitary gland disorders. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "New Partners chief no stranger to role of uniter," 27 June 2019 Insulin resistance may also affect how the pituitary gland regulates your levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), both of which prepare those ovarian follicles for maturation. — Mary Claire Lagroue, SELF, "Can Diet and Exercise Actually Improve PCOS Symptoms?," 23 Apr. 2019 At the start of your menstrual cycle, the pituitary gland in your brain produces this hormone to make your ovaries to create those egg-containing follicles for ovulation. — Korin Miller, SELF, "What Does It Mean to Have a Diminished Ovarian Reserve?," 17 Nov. 2018 He also might have needed hormone therapy since his pituitary gland wasn't working. — Megan Friedman, Good Housekeeping, ""Miracle Baby" Born Without a Nose Dies at Just Two Years Old," 6 June 2017 Facial Changes Dearborn reassured the man that the tumor wasn’t cancer but an overgrowth of the part of the pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, that makes growth hormone. — Lisa Sanders, New York Times, "The Patient Had Pain When He Walked, but There Was a More Telling Change," 27 June 2018 Essentially, the brain’s hypothalamus produces gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which causes the pituitary gland to produce FSH and LH. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Hold On Everyone, Male Birth Control Still Isn't Happening Anytime Soon," 22 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pituitary gland.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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