A chemical substance released by an animal that influences the behavior or development of others of the same species. The name means 'carrying hormone' because it carries chemical messages.
From Greek 'pherein' (to carry) + 'hormone' (from Greek 'hormon,' meaning 'setting in motion'), meaning 'carrying hormone.' Coined in 1959 by German biochemist Adolf Butenandt to describe chemicals that carry stimulating messages between organisms of the same species.
Pheromone is a modern word that perfectly captures the ancient root's meaning - it literally carries chemical messages! Just like semaphore carries visual signals and anaphora carries repeated words, pheromones carry invisible chemical communications between animals.
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