Thyroid

Thyroid
An adjective and a noun, pertaining to the thyroid gland or, less often today, to a preparation made of mammalian thyroid tissue to treat hypothyroidism. For example, the sentence "My thyroid is not making enough thyroid hormone" uses "thyroid" (redundantly) as both an adjective and noun. The thyroid is located in the lower part of the neck below the Adam's apple. It is wrapped around the windpipe (the trachea) and has the shape of a butterfly, since it is formed by two wings (lobes) which are attached by a middle part. Thyroid hormones are essential for the function of every cell in the body. They help regulate growth and the rate of chemical reactions (metabolism) in the body. The thyroid makes and stores these hormones that help regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and the rate at which food is converted into energy. Thyroid hormones also help children grow and develop. The thyroid uses iodine, a mineral found in some foods and in iodized salt, to make several of its hormones.
* * *
1. Resembling a shield; denoting a gland (t. gland) and a cartilage of the larynx (t. cartilage) having such a shape. 2. The cleaned, dried, and powdered t. gland obtained from one of the domesticated animals used for food and containing 0.17–0.23% of iodine; formerly widely used in the treatment of hypothyroidism, cretinism, and myxedema, in certain cases of obesity, and in skin disorders. [G. thyreoeides, fr. thyreos, an oblong shield, + eidos, form]
- accessory t. SYN: accessory t. gland.

* * *

thy·roid 'thī-.rȯid also thy·roi·dal thī-'rȯid-əl adj
1 a) of, relating to, affecting, or being the thyroid gland <\thyroid disorders>
2) of, relating to, or being the thyroid cartilage
thyroid n
1) a large bilobed endocrine gland of craniate vertebrates that arises as a median ventral outgrowth of the pharynx, lies in the anterior base of the neck or anterior ventral part of the thorax, is often accompanied by lateral accessory glands sometimes more or less fused with the main mass, and produces esp. the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine called also thyroid gland
2) a preparation of the thyroid gland of various domesticated food animals (as pigs) containing approximately 1/10 percent of iodine combined in thyroxine and used in treating thyroid disorders called also thyroid extract

* * *

thy·roid (thiґroid) [Gr. thyreoeidēs, from thyreos oblong shield + eidos form] 1. glandula thyroidea. 2. pertaining to the thyroid gland (glandula thyroidea). 3. scutiform. 4. [USP] a preparation of cleaned, dried, powdered thyroid gland obtained from domesticated food animals and free of connective tissue and fat; it contains levothyroxine and liothyronine and is used as replacement therapy in the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism, to prevent and treat goiter, and to prevent and treat thyroid carcinoma, administered orally.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Thyroid — Thy roid, a. [Gr. qyreoeidh s shield shaped; qyreo s a large, oblong shield (from qy ra a door) + e i^dos form: cf. F. thyro[ i]de, thyr[ e]o[ i]de.] 1. Shaped like an oblong shield; shield shaped; as, the thyroid cartilage. [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thyroid — UK [ˈθaɪrɔɪd] / US [ˈθaɪˌrɔɪd] or thyroid gland UK / US noun [countable] Word forms thyroid : singular thyroid plural thyroids Word forms thyroid gland : singular thyroid gland plural thyroid glands medical an organ in your neck that produces… …   English dictionary

  • thyroid — [thī′roid΄] adj. [ModL thyroides < Gr thyreoeidēs, shield shaped < thyreos, large shield, door shaped shield < thyra,DOOR + eidēs, OID] 1. designating or of a large ductless gland lying in front and on either side of the trachea and… …   English World dictionary

  • thyroid — (adj.) 1690s (in reference to both the cartilage and the gland), from Gk. thyreoiedes shield shaped (in khondros thyreoiedes shield shaped cartilage, used by Galen to describe the Adam s apple in the throat), from thyreos oblong, door shaped… …   Etymology dictionary

  • thyroid — ► NOUN (also thyroid gland) ▪ a large gland in the neck which secretes hormones regulating growth and development through the rate of metabolism. ORIGIN from Greek khondros thureoeid s shield shaped cartilage …   English terms dictionary

  • Thyroid — Infobox Anatomy Name = Thyroid Latin = glandula thyroidea GraySubject = 272 GrayPage = 1269 Caption = Endocrine system Caption2 = Thyroid and parathyroid. Precursor = 4th Branchial pouch System = endocinal jubachina system Artery = superior… …   Wikipedia

  • thyroid — I. adjective also thyroidal Etymology: New Latin thyroides, from Greek thyreoeidēs shield shaped, thyroid, from thyreos shield shaped like a door, from thyra door more at door Date: circa 1741 1. a. of, relating to, or being the thyroid gland b.… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • thyroid — thyroidal, adj. thyroidless, adj. /thuy royd/, adj. 1. of or pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. of or pertaining to the largest cartilage of the larynx, forming the projection known in humans as the Adam s apple. n. 3. See thyroid gland. 4. the… …   Universalium

  • thyroid — /ˈθaɪrɔɪd / (say thuyroyd) adjective 1. denoting or relating to the thyroid gland. 2. denoting or relating to the principal cartilage of the larynx, forming the projection known in men as the Adam s apple. –noun 3. → thyroid gland. 4. the thyroid …  

  • thyroid — n. & adj. n. (in full thyroid gland) 1 a large ductless gland in the neck of vertebrates secreting a hormone which regulates growth and development through the rate of metabolism. 2 an extract prepared from the thyroid gland of animals and used… …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”