glandular

adjective

glan·​du·​lar ˈglan-jə-lər How to pronounce glandular (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or involving glands, gland cells, or their products
b
: having the characteristics or function of a gland
2
a
: innate, inherent
the almost glandular … instinct for adventure and romanceNewsweek
glandularly adverb

Examples of glandular in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dense breasts don’t correlate with body or breast size—they’re a function of tissue composition, with more glandular and fibrous tissue and less fat. Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 For those with denser breast tissue, meaning the breast contains more glandular tissue instead of fatty tissue, detecting cancer with a mammogram can be more difficult. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 13 May 2025 Breasts are primarily made up of three types of tissue: glandular, fibrous and fatty. Alex Zaragoza, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025 If someone’s breasts have more glandular and fibrous tissue than fatty tissue, their breasts are considered dense. Alex Zaragoza, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for glandular

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of glandular was circa 1740

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Cite this Entry

“Glandular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glandular. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

glandular

adjective
glan·​du·​lar ˈglan-jə-lər How to pronounce glandular (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or involving glands, gland cells, or their products
glandular activity
2
: having the traits or activities of a gland
glandular tissue
glandularly adverb

Medical Definition

glandular

adjective
glan·​du·​lar ˈglan-jə-lər How to pronounce glandular (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or involving glands, gland cells, or their products
2
: having the characteristics or function of a gland
glandular tissue

More from Merriam-Webster on glandular

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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