cortisol

American  

[kawr-tuh-sawl, -sohl] / ˈkɔr təˌsɔl, -ˌsoʊl /

noun

1. Biochemistry. one of several steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex and resembling cortisone in its action.

2. Pharmacology. hydrocortisone.

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cortisol British  

/ ˈkɔːtɪˌsɒl /

noun

1. another name for hydrocortisone

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cortisol Scientific  

/ kôr′tĭ-sôl′,-sōl′ /

1. The principal steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. It regulates carbohydrate metabolism and the immune system and maintains blood pressure. When natural or synthetic cortisol is used as a pharmaceutical, it is known as hydrocortisone.

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Etymology

Origin of cortisol

First recorded in 1950–55; cortis(one) + -ol ¹

Compare meaning

How does cortisol compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cortisone vs. cortisol

Example Sentences

For instance, patients with reduced kidney function were more likely to have elevated cortisol levels.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

Patients with cortisol levels above 1.8 ug/dL were classified as having hypercortisolism.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

In chaotic situations, he says, the brain of the average daredevil doesn’t produce much cortisol, a chemical involved in the fight or flight response.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Neuroscientists know that fighting with people who hold different views leads to the release of cortisol in the brain, which increases stress, Matter co-founder Ben Goldhirsh explained.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

The hormone cortisol, recently synthesized in the lab, had been found to arrest the virilization these girls normally underwent, allowing them to develop as normal females.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides