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Biology vocabulary · Animal Biology and Physiology

Hormone

Meaning in biology, with examples

/ˈhɔːrmoʊn/nounCore term

In biology, hormone means: A chemical messenger made in one part of an organism and carried, often in the blood, to target cells elsewhere, where it changes their activity.

In Turkish: hormon

How it is used

In animals, hormones are secreted by endocrine glands such as the thyroid and pancreas; insulin, adrenaline and estrogen are examples. Plants also have hormones, such as auxin and gibberellin. Hormones are secreted or released and act on target cells.

Example sentences

  1. Insulin is a hormone that lowers blood glucose.

  2. The plant hormone auxin makes shoots bend toward light.

Common collocations

  • plant hormone
  • growth hormone
  • secrete a hormone
  • hormone levels
  • steroid hormone
  • homeostasisThe ability of an organism or cell to keep its internal conditions, such as temperature, water balance and blood sugar, stable while the outside world changes.
  • neuronA nerve cell that carries information as electrical and chemical signals. It has dendrites that receive signals and an axon that passes them on.
  • lipidA fatty or oily organic molecule that does not dissolve in water, such as a fat, oil, phospholipid or steroid. Lipids store energy and form cell membranes.
  • proteinA large molecule made of one or more chains of amino acids folded into a specific shape. Proteins build cell structures, speed up reactions and carry signals.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Animal Biology and Physiology

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