endocrine
adj.adj. relating to the system of glands in your body that make hormones. These hormones travel through your blood to help control things like growth and energy.
adj. relating to the system of glands that secrete hormones directly into the circulatory system to regulate physiological activities. Typically used to describe the glands themselves or the chemical signaling process.
The thyroid is a major endocrine gland.
Doctors often run blood tests to check if a patient's endocrine system is producing the right amount of insulin.
Environmental toxins can act as endocrine disruptors, interfering with the delicate hormonal balance required for healthy metabolic function and reproductive development.
From French endocrine, from endo- + Ancient Greek κρίνω (krínō, “to separate, also to secrete”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Primarily used as an attributive adjective preceding a noun.
- Nounendocrinology
- Adjectiveendocrine
Last updated May 9, 2026