English Reference

Word

gland

US/ˈɡɫænd/

UK/ɡlˈænd/

Definitions

01biological organ

C1 · Medicine

n. a part of the body that creates and sends out chemicals, such as hormones, sweat, or saliva.

n. an organ or group of cells that synthesizes chemical substances for release into the bloodstream or onto a body surface.

“The thyroid gland in your neck helps control how your body uses energy.”

“The endocrine system consists of several glands that secrete hormones directly into the circulatory system to regulate distant target organs.”

Technical

Usage

Often used with specific names like 'adrenal gland', 'sweat gland', or 'lymph gland'.

Synonyms

02plant structure

C2 · Science

n. a small part on the surface of a plant that produces substances like oil or nectar.

n. a secretory hair or cell on the surface of a plant organ.

“The leaves of the plant are covered in tiny glands that produce a sticky liquid.”

“Microscopic examination revealed specialized glands on the trichomes that produce the plant's characteristic aromatic oils.”

Technical

Synonyms

secretory structure

03mechanical seal

C2 · Science

n. a part in a machine that stops liquid from leaking out around a moving rod or shaft.

n. a device or stuffing box used to seal a rotating or reciprocating shaft against fluid leakage.

“The plumber tightened the gland on the tap to stop it from dripping.”

“The engineer inspected the packing gland to ensure that the propeller shaft remained watertight during high-speed operation.”

Technical

Synonyms

Real-World Examples

“The rodents have scent glands on their feet and trample on their droppings to mark their territory.”
BBC News · 14 Aug 2026
“Female orb-weaver spiders can possess multiple types of silk-producing or silk-associated glands , each linked to a different task.”
The Conversation · 4 Aug 2026

Etymology

Late 17th century borrowing from French glande, alteration of Old French glandre, from Latin glandulae (“throat glands, tonsils”), plural of glandula (“a little acorn”), from glāns (“an acorn”) + -ula (diminutive nominal suffix).

Early 19th century, probably from Scots glam (“vice, clamp”), probably from a variant of clam (“clam; clamp, vise”). Related to clamp.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domains

AnatomyBotanyZoology

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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English Reference