hormone

B2 Topic:Materials & Substances

US /ˈhoɹmoʊn/ UK /ˈhɔːməʊn/ See IPA manual

Freq #14569

Meanings

1

noun
a chemical messenger produced in one part of an organism and carried to other cells or tissues, where it regulates their activity

Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood glucose.
2

noun
a synthetic substance with the same or a similar physiological action as a naturally produced hormone

The treatment supplies a hormone that the patient's body no longer produces adequately.
3

noun
a signaling substance produced by a plant that regulates growth, development, or responses to the environment

Auxin is a plant hormone involved in directing stem growth toward light.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a chemical messenger... chemical messenger

2 noun · a synthetic substance with... hormone analoguesynthetic hormone

3 noun · a signaling substance... plant growth regulatorphytohormone

Word family

Forms hormones

Derived forms antihormonehormonalhormonelikehormonizationhormonize

Related forms endocrinegland receptor steroidneurotransmitter

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

steroid hormone
a hormone belonging to the chemical class of steroids

Noun + noun

Etymology

Coined in the early twentieth century from Greek hormon, 'setting in motion,' the present participle of horman, 'to urge on or excite.' The name emphasizes how a substance released in one tissue can activate or regulate activity elsewhere in an organism.

Topics

Materials & Substances

External links

# hormone

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈhoɹmoʊn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈhɔːməʊn/
**Frequency rank:** 14569

## Meanings
1. a chemical messenger produced in one part of an organism and carried to other cells or tissues, where it regulates their activity
2. a synthetic substance with the same or a similar physiological action as a naturally produced hormone
3. a signaling substance produced by a plant that regulates growth, development, or responses to the environment

## Examples
- Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood glucose.
- The treatment supplies a hormone that the patient's body no longer produces adequately.
- Auxin is a plant hormone involved in directing stem growth toward light.

## Synonyms
- chemical messenger
- hormone analogue
- phytohormone

## Derived Forms
- antihormone
- hormonal
- hormonelike
- hormonization
- hormonize

## Related Forms
- endocrine
- gland
- receptor
- steroid
- neurotransmitter

## Etymology
Coined in the early twentieth century from Greek hormon, 'setting in motion,' the present participle of horman, 'to urge on or excite.' The name emphasizes how a substance released in one tissue can activate or regulate activity elsewhere in an organism.

## Topics
- Materials & Substances

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