Gonadotropin

/ˌɡoʊnədoʊˈtroʊpɪn/ noun

Definition

A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates growth and function of the ovaries or testes; the American spelling of gonadotrophin.

Etymology

From gonad (Greek gonos 'seed') + tropin (from Greek tropē 'turning toward'). The term was coined in the early 1900s as endocrinology developed as a scientific field.

Kelly Says

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is what pregnancy tests detect—it's the hormone your body makes after conception, making it one of the most commercially important hormones in the world!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.