glucocorticoid
|glu-co-cor-ti-coid|
🇺🇸
/ˌɡluːkoʊˈkɔːrtɪkɔɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˌɡluːkəʊˈkɔːtɪkɔɪd/
steroid hormone
Etymology
'glucocorticoid' originates from 'glucose' and 'cortex', specifically the word 'corticoid', where 'cortex' meant 'bark' or 'rind' in Latin.
'glucocorticoid' changed from the combination of 'glucose' and 'corticoid' and eventually became the modern English word 'glucocorticoid'.
Initially, it referred to a type of steroid hormone, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a class of steroid hormones that bind to the glucocorticoid receptor, which is present in almost every vertebrate animal cell. They are involved in the regulation of metabolism and immune response.
Glucocorticoids are often used to treat inflammation.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/05/21 07:43