thyroid

1 of 2

noun

thy·​roid ˈthī-ˌrȯid 

1

: a large bilobed endocrine gland of vertebrates lying at the anterior base of the neck and producing especially the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine

2

: a preparation of the thyroid gland of various domestic animals used in treating thyroid disorders

thyroid

2 of 2

adjective

thy·​roid ˈthī-ˌrȯid 

variants or less commonly thyroidal

thī-ˈrȯi-dᵊl 

1

a

: of, relating to, or being the thyroid gland

b

: suggestive of a disordered thyroid

a thyroid personality

2

: of, relating to, or being the chief cartilage of the larynx

Examples of thyroid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Since your thyroid levels are OK, the concern here is cancer. —Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 19 Sep. 2023

Pregnant people might experience lower thyroid hormone levels and more preterm births. —Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 15 Sep. 2023

Between 2003 and 2008, more 9/11 recovery workers were diagnosed with prostate cancer, thyroid cancer and multiple myeloma than expected, in comparison with the general population of the state, according to the registry. —Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 11 Sep. 2023

Other signs of an overactive thyroid include rapid heart rate, irregular heart rhythm, elevated blood pressure, and unexplained weight loss, says Weissman. —Cassie Shortsleeve, Men's Health, 28 Aug. 2023

And Miller says that prescribed medications for health conditions like thyroid disease and high blood pressure can tip off GI disturbances. —Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2023

Davenport told Verywell that in 1999, South Korea supported a program to increase ultrasound screening for thyroid cancer in people with no symptoms. —Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 18 Aug. 2023

For instance, even the thyroid gland stays enlarged for around 12 weeks after birth.3 All of the changes that can happen during pregnancy mean that the postpartum period is a time when the body needs adequate time, rest, and nutrition to recover. —Arianna Bradford, Parents, 29 July 2023

Everyone is tested for two biomarkers: TSH—which regulates hormones produced by the thyroid and impacts fertility3—and AMH, which indicates the presence of follicles (immature eggs) in the ovaries. —Lindsay Modglin, Health, 1 Sep. 2023

Adjective

Arizona's top attorney sued a thyroid drug maker, saying the company lied about the potency of its medication and the harmful effects on consumers. —Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 30 Dec. 2022

Today, iodine deficiencies are less common, with thyroid dysfunction from iodine deficiency affecting about 30 percent of the world. —Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2021

Baffert, like many trainers, was using a thyroid drug that was cited in the CHRB investigation. —Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2021

The pregnancy was delicate because of a thyroid condition Monica has, said Edgar, who works in a dairy while Monica stays home to care for their two other daughters. —Rebekah L. Sanders, azcentral, 1 Jan. 2020

When thyroid hormones climb too high, the body destroys old bone faster than it can be replaced, which hastens osteoporosis. —Hallie Levine, Health.com, 5 Dec. 2019

Neighbors and family members, even their own children, diagnosed with serious medical conditions, from thyroid disease to cancer. —NBC News, 16 Dec. 2019

Keep in mind, though, that even when treatment successfully eliminates hypothyroidism in a case like yours, the underlying thyroid disorder remains. —Mayo Clinic News Network, chicagotribune.com, 4 Oct. 2019

At the age of 12, Grace LaVigne developed a long-lasting friendship with a St. Paul doctor over an unlikely bonding experience — a thyroid tumor that caused frequent ear infections and could have done far worse. —Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2019

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for thyroid gland — more at thyroid entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from New Latin thyroīdēs, shortened from thyreoīdēs, borrowed from Greek thyreoeidḗs "shield-shaped (of the cartilage in the larynx)," from thyreós "stone put against a door to keep it shut, oblong shield" (probably originally noun derivative of an adjective meaning "shaped like a door," from thýra "door" + -eos, suffix of appurtenance) + -oeidēs -oid entry 2 — more at door

Note: The form thyroīdēs presumably arose because the word was taken as directly derived from thýra "door," rather than from thyreós. The word thyroeidḗs "like a door" is marginally attested in ancient Greek.

First Known Use

Noun

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing thyroid

• thyroid storm
• thyroid-stimulating hormone

• thyroid storm
• thyroid-stimulating hormone

Kids Definition

thyroid

1 of 2 adjective

thy·​roid ˈthī-ˌrȯid 

: of, relating to, or being the thyroid gland

thyroid

2 of 2 noun

: a large endocrine gland at the base of the neck of most vertebrates that produces iodine-containing hormones (as thyroxine) that affect growth, development, and metabolism

called also thyroid gland

Medical Definition

thyroid

1 of 2 adjective

thy·​roid ˈthī-ˌrȯid 

variants also thyroidal

thī-ˈrȯid-ᵊl 

1

a

: of, relating to, affecting, or being the thyroid gland

thyroid disorders

2

: of, relating to, or being the thyroid cartilage

thyroid

2 of 2 noun

1

: a large bilobed endocrine gland of craniate vertebrates that arises as a median ventral outgrowth of the pharynx, lies in the anterior base of the neck or anterior ventral part of the thorax, is often accompanied by lateral accessory glands sometimes more or less fused with the main mass, and produces especially the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine

called also thyroid gland

2

: a preparation of the thyroid gland of various domesticated food animals (as pigs) containing approximately ¹/₁₀ percent of iodine combined in thyroxine and used in treating thyroid disorders

called also thyroid extract