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Gland
//ɡlænd// name, noun
Definitions
Proper Noun
- 1 A commune in Yonne department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.
- 2 A commune in Aisne department, Hauts-de-France, France.
- 3 A municipality in Nyon district, Vaud canton, Switzerland.
Noun
- 1 A specialized cell, group of cells, or organ of endothelial origin in the human or animal body that synthesizes a chemical substance, such as hormones or breast milk, and releases it, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland).
- 2 A compressable cylindrical case and its contents around a shaft where it passes through a barrier, intended to prevent the passage of a fluid past the barrier, used for example around a ship’s propeller shaft or around a tap, valve or faucet.
- 3 any of various organs that synthesize substances needed by the body and release it through ducts or directly into the bloodstream wordnet
- 4 A specialized cell, group of cells, or organ of endothelial origin in the human or animal body that synthesizes a chemical substance, such as hormones or breast milk, and releases it, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland).; A structure resembling a gland, especially a lymph node.
- 5 A secretory structure on the surface of an organ.
Etymology
Etymology 1
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).
Etymology 2
Early 19th century, probably from Scots glam (“vice, clamp”), probably from a variant of clam (“clam; clamp, vise”). Related to clamp.
Etymology 3
From French, from Middle French glans, of Celtic/Gaulish origin, from Proto-Celtic *glanos (“pure, clear, clean”). Not related to gland (“gland, acorn”).
See also for "gland"
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