GLAND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gland mean? 

• GLAND (noun)
  The noun GLAND has 1 sense:

1. any of various organs that synthesize substances needed by the body and release it through ducts or directly into the bloodstream

  Familiarity information: GLAND used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GLAND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of various organs that synthesize substances needed by the body and release it through ducts or directly into the bloodstream

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

gland; secreter; secretor; secretory organ

Hypernyms ("gland" is a kind of...):

organ (a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function)

Meronyms (parts of "gland"):

acinus (one of the small sacs or saclike dilations in a compound gland)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gland"):

green gland (one of a pair of glands (believed to have excretory functions) in some crustaceans near the base of the large antennae)

sericterium; serictery; silk gland (silk-producing gland of insects (especially of a silkworm) or spiders)

duct gland; exocrine; exocrine gland (a gland that secretes externally through a duct)

ductless gland; endocrine; endocrine gland (any of the glands of the endocrine system that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream)

Derivation:

glandular (relating to or affecting or functioning as a gland)

 Context examples 

It is used to send messages to other cells, including other nerve cells, muscle cells, and gland cells.

(Acetylcholine, NCI Dictionary)

It includes the gland of Krause in the lacrimal sac and the gland of Wolfring on the inner surface of the upper eyelid.

(Accessory Lacrimal Gland, NCI Thesaurus)

Representative examples include the acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas and the acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland.

(Acinar Cell Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

Forms small glandular structures without prominent gland lumen.

(Acinar Mammary Carcinoma of Mouse, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)

An invasive adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland composed of secretory cells.

(Acinar Prostate Adenocarcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A malignant neoplasm either directly extending to the parathyroid glands from adjacent anatomic structures, or spreading to the parathyroid glands from distant anatomic sites, most frequently breast, lung, kidney, soft tissues, and skin.

(Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm to the Parathyroid Gland, NCI Thesaurus)

ACTH acts on the outer part of the adrenal gland to control its release of corticosteroid hormones.

(ACTH, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The user must produce tears by exposing their eyes to an eye-sensitive substance that stimulates the lachrymal gland.

(Brazilian researchers eye biosensors to monitor diabetes, SciDev.Net)

The spread of cancer to the prostate gland from an adjacent or distant anatomic site.

(Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm to the Prostate, NCI Thesaurus)

A malignant neoplasm metastasizing to the pituitary gland from another anatomic site.

(Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm to the Pituitary Gland, NCI Thesaurus)